“I want to make clear that the rejection of the State Budget does not automatically imply the dissolution of parliament,” stated the former Secretary-General of PS during the presentation of his candidacy in Belém, held at the Caldas da Rainha Cultural and Congress Center in the Leiria district.
António José Seguro argued that “the country cannot continue with elections every year and a half, nor with short-term governments,” warning that “short-term governments lead Portugal to short-term paths.”
“I am prepared to promote the necessary reconciliation and commitments to change Portugal,” he declared, emphasizing that “Portugal needs significant change, beginning with the way politics is conducted.”
According to the candidate, “managing the current situation is no longer sufficient, nor is it a way to govern,” and there is a “need for a national project, consensual and inclusive of everyone, irrespective of who is in government.”
“The nation needs direction, it cannot keep zigzagging. Portugal requires a definitive course, not just a government. We need governments with a project, not turn-based administrations,” he added.
The presidential candidate also stated that constitutional revision is not a priority at the moment and proposed a “prosperity pact,” highlighting the need for a “mobilizing national project.”
“Priority should be to ensure timely access to housing and healthcare, to create wealth for better salaries and pensions, and to empower the country to support our businesses, so that young people stay instead of emigrating,” he listed.
Seguro asserted that “the country needs a mobilizing national project, a direction, and a strategy.”
“I propose and commit myself to this goal: Prosperity Pact. This will be my priority agenda, involving all political parties, social partners, universities, and all stakeholders,” he claimed.
