Former MEP Ana Gomes strongly disagrees with the notion that “Portuguese people are tired” of elections and political controversies, and that they “do not care about the integrity and credibility” of the Government. She believes that the “Portuguese are not foolish” and are concerned about the “image” that an Executive “projects of the country.”
“Do they want a Government that has issues, small and large scandals? Will that lead to governability for the country? What image does it project of the country and the Portuguese people? The Portuguese are not fools. It is crucial that they go out to vote. It is very significant that polls show high percentages of undecided people, which is why I believe that the campaign and the debates, in particular, can be very important,” stated Ana Gomes during a commentary segment on SIC Notícias.
According to the jurist, the 2024 Internal Security Annual Report (RASI) has shown that the perception promoted by Montenegro and Carlos Moedas regarding increasing insecurity linked to immigration “is not supported by the data.”
“It also shows that foreign inmates do not even make up 20% of the prison population, contrary to Chega’s rhetoric. They are drug mules but not immigrants. It indicates an increase in a certain type of crime, notably related to juvenile delinquency and group violence, gang-related,” noted the former MEP.
Ana Gomes also argues that “there is a trick by the Government” in excluding from the report the sections on “the type of violence against minorities” and violence against women, “resulting from far-right extremist groups.”
“That part was eliminated from the report, and it’s very strange that it was removed, given its relevance, and that the Government does not even acknowledge this,” she added.
