This stance was articulated by IL parliamentary leader Mário Amorim Lopes during the general debate on the State Budget for 2026 in the Assembly of the Republic, justifying his party’s opposition vote.
In his address, Mário Amorim Lopes argued that the proposal by the government led by Luís Montenegro “increases tax revenue” and also “increases expenditure” and “the size of the State,” failing to attract investment and promote significant economic growth, and showing no will to reform the State and Social Security.
“The litmus test has been done, and it turned out pink. This Budget could very well be a PS Budget. The government changed, but the lack of ambition did not. It’s meager, and the Portuguese deserve more,” the deputy added.
IL’s opposition to the Budget proposal in general, which is set to be approved at this stage with abstentions from the PS, as well as PAN and JPP, was announced on Monday by party president Mariana Leitão, whom the Prime Minister accused of “radicalizing IL.”
Today, the IL parliamentary leader countered Luís Montenegro’s accusation: “Prime Minister, we tell you frankly, radical is not wanting change. Radical is wanting everything to stay the same. Radical is conformism. Radical is a State that grows more than the country,”
“Truly radical is this inaction, this resignation, this continuation of mediocrity,” he countered.
Mário Amorim Lopes stated that IL wants “to seriously cut taxes for companies and families” and “reform the State, Health, and Social Security,” and will present proposals to this effect during the State Budget specialty debate.
The IL parliamentary leader argued that his party constitutes “the only alternative that builds the Portugal Portuguese people deserve” and that the rest of the opposition “is more of the same or a step backwards.”
At this point, after attributing the left-wing parties’ obsession to “fuel their class struggle and pit people against each other,” he criticized the Chega party leader, André Ventura, without naming him, for the statement that Portugal needed “three Salazars.”
“The far right does not make a difference. It pits Portuguese against Portuguese, Portuguese against immigrants, and, as if one wasn’t enough to tarnish our country’s history and shame the Portuguese, they still ask for three Salazars,” he declared.
According to Mário Amorim Lopes, IL “is not for the rich or the poor, young or old, white or black,” uniting “all who believe in merit, freedom, responsibility, and above all, in a better country.”
“It is for all, all who believe that Portugal can be much more. And it is because we do not trade ambition for resignation, nor growth for stagnation, that today we say no to this grapefruit Budget, orange outside, pink inside,” he concluded.
This is the first State Budget of the XXV Constitutional Government, the second PSD/CDS-PP minority coalition executive led by Luís Montenegro.
A year ago, IL also voted against the general proposal of the State Budget for 2025, as well as the final global vote. The proposal of the previous PSD/CDS-PP executive was enabled by PS abstention, with votes against from all other opposition parties.
The specialized debate on the State Budget begins Wednesday in the Budget, Finance, and Public Administration Committee, where all ministers and institutions like the Court of Auditors, the Economic and Social Council, and the Public Finance Council will be heard.
Hearings end on November 7, the deadline for submitting Budget amendment proposals.
The final global vote on the State Budget is scheduled for November 27.
[News updated at 18h28]
