The Communist Party of Portugal (PCP) has submitted a motion to the Assembly of the Republic, which is scheduled to be voted on Wednesday. The motion criticizes the program of the government led by Luís Montenegro, claiming that it pursues right-wing policies that allegedly serve the interests of capital rather than the people of Portugal.
The PCP contends that the government has declared a “genuine war against the workers” by intending to revise labor legislation in a way that is aligned with business interests. Such revisions, the party argues, aim to increase work rates and destabilize work schedules, thus worsening exploitation.
The motion highlights concerns about planned changes to strike laws, underscoring their severity as they could impede workers’ resistance against business interests seeking to dilute their rights and living conditions for greater profit, according to the party.
Speaking to journalists at the Assembly of the Republic, Paula Santos, the PCP’s parliamentary leader, stated that the motion aims to “force a vote on the program” and “clarify who truly supports these political options that will result in more inequalities, injustices, and worsening living conditions in the country.”
In the motion, the PCP further accuses the government of shaping the state to suit economic groups’ interests through an “exhaustive state reform under the guise of modernization, digitalization, and simplification.”
The government is also criticized for its stated priority to achieve a 2% GDP defense investment by the end of the year, with the PCP arguing that such expenditure serves military agendas and arms accumulation, diverting resources from addressing the Portuguese people’s problems.
The party harshly criticizes the focus, stating that the agenda is not on valuing the rights, careers, and conditions of military personnel or investing in the Portuguese Armed Forces for their constitutional missions. Instead, it highlights a “complete subservience to NATO, the European Union, and the United States and their militaristic policies.”
The communists conclude the motion by accusing the government of pursuing an “anti-democratic policy that exacerbates exploitation, injustices, and inequalities, warranting rejection.”
When asked about opposition from the Chega party to the rejection motion, Paula Santos remarked that André Ventura’s party seeks to go “even further than the government” in right-wing policies, so their stance is not surprising.
The communist leader also emphasized that any alternative to this government must prioritize a “break from right-wing policies,” value workers, tackle issues in health, education, and housing, and end “subservience to the interests and impositions of the European Union” and “NATO’s militaristic policies.”
“Persisting with a program and policies that have proven ineffectual in addressing the problems of our people, the working populace, those who have worked a lifetime, and young people pushed towards emigration, does not constitute an alternative,” she added.
A rejection motion from the PCP is set for a vote on Wednesday morning, during the second day of the government’s program debate in the parliament. However, the communists’ initiative is expected to be defeated as it lacks support from the PSD, CDS, Chega, and PS.
[Updated at 5:05 PM]
