At the end of a visit to the Benfica University Residence in Lisbon, the PS-supported candidate was questioned by journalists about the previous day’s debate with PSD and CDS-PP-supported candidate Luís Marques Mendes. He expressed satisfaction with the encounter.
“I left the debate very happy because I think I clearly conveyed to the Portuguese people what I stand for. I do not want to keep everything the same; I am not evolution in continuity, quite the opposite,” he emphasized.
During the visit, which was accompanied by the current and former leaders of the Socialist Youth, Sofia Pereira and Miguel Costa Matos, respectively, the former PS secretary-general was asked by journalists if he felt a lack of support from the party.
“I have felt a lot of support from North to South, from PS members, from people of all parties. If you look at the polls, my candidacy is one of the few that is cross-cutting, going from left to right and from right to left and to the center,” he began to respond.
The support of individuals who have never been involved in politics, such as his national representative, scientist Maria do Carmo Fonseca, is one aspect highlighted by Seguro. He states he wants “to bring the best to politics” because it “cannot be a condominium of politicians.”
“I want all the support with me; naturally, I am very happy with the Socialist Party’s support, I have said it a thousand times. (…) My representative well expresses the nature of my candidacy, which is broad and not party-specific. If you look, it’s not quite the same with other candidacies,” he asserted.
The PS-backed presidential candidate described his profile as a potential future President of the Republic, if elected on January 18, as a “conciliator and unifier” who wants to mobilize the Portuguese “around the common goal of making Portugal a country of excellence.”
“Everyone knows where I come from, what my political and ideological origins are, but more importantly, where I want to go. I want to be the President of all Portuguese people. I am happy with the campaign, with the candidacy, with the support I have received,” he said.
