The first televised debate for the upcoming snap legislative elections on May 18 took place on TVI, centering on concerns surrounding the Prime Minister’s family business. These concerns had previously led to the rejection of a no-confidence motion by the PCP and a subsequent government confidence motion, whose rejection resulted in the government’s resignation and the calling of early elections on May 18.
The Secretary-General of the PCP expressed “no doubt” that Montenegro found himself “in a situation of conflict and confusion between personal and governmental interests,” suggesting that “the noblest attitude” would have been resignation rather than “pushing forward.”
“Even from an ethical standpoint, there is nothing that can be attributed to my conduct (…) It is not true that I have benefited from any company while serving as Prime Minister or PSD leader,” Montenegro retorted, challenging Paulo Raimundo to identify any political decision influenced by his professional life.
“We have no doubts. We have certainties. The situation you created is incompatible with your roles (…) Don’t try something with me that you’ve been trying with others, but not with me, please. It’s about victimization,” responded the communist leader.
During the approximately 30-minute debate, the two candidates clashed over solutions for the health sector, defense, and the reduction of the Corporate Tax (IRC) rate from 21% to 20% under the current PSD/CDS-PP Government.
Addressing this corporate tax reduction, Paulo Raimundo argued that the loss of revenue could fund “one of the national urgencies: a public network of daycare centers” over four years, while Montenegro countered that revenue actually increased, acknowledging that the impact of the reduction would only be felt this year.
“In the 2024 budget proposed by the PS, we had an IRC revenue forecast of around 8 billion euros. Do you know what the actual IRC revenue was, based on economic growth and performance? Over 10.2 billion euros. In other words, with a competitive and wealth-creating economy, we exceeded the IRC revenue estimate by more than 2 billion euros,” he stated.
In the health sector, the Prime Minister admitted challenges in fulfilling the promise to assign a family doctor to every Portuguese citizen but assured that it would remain part of the AD program.
“We will renew the promise and renew the effort to fulfill it,” he declared, urging that “no specters” be raised about the centrality of the SNS in the AD program.
Paulo Raimundo confronted the Prime Minister about the closure of seven pediatric emergency units over the previous weekend, arguing that only by valuing the salaries of health professionals could the necessary resources be attracted away from the private sector.
In defense, the PCP Secretary-General firmly opposed increased public spending on “war” — limiting it solely to the Armed Forces — and suggested that resources should be used for “building trains or producing medicines.”
“We do not replace social policies with investment in defense. These are cumulative efforts. When we support, for example, Ukraine, we support human rights and democracy,” the Prime Minister remarked.
Paulo Raimundo offered praise to the government in just one area: its ability to produce propaganda, congratulating “your communication agency,” which the executive leader denied having, with Montenegro offering a jab in response.
“A government that has established career valuation agreements in 17 areas of public administration… I’ll tell you something: It’s increasingly difficult even for a communist not to vote for the political force leading the government,” he quipped.
[Article updated at 22:11]
