“We do not want more rigidity. Our labor market is deeply rigid, and our laws do not serve the new forms of work,” stated Mariana Leitão while speaking to journalists at Agroglobal in Santarém.
The liberal leader criticized labor laws as being out of touch with digital evolution and professional autonomy, reiterating that the Liberal Initiative (IL) will always support policies promoting the “liberalization of the labor market.”
“We are in the 21st century, being managed by laws from the last century,” she said.
Discussing the upcoming State Budget negotiations, Mariana Leitão dismissed supporting any agreement with the Socialist Party if the “logic of rigidity” in labor persists.
“We will fight for increased flexibility to ensure that the labor market is free, that people are free, and that companies have more freedom,” she declared.
The IL leader argued that salary increases should stem from competitiveness among companies and not from government-imposed measures.
“As long as we believe that salaries increase by decree, we will not succeed in raising them. Salaries increase due to greater competitiveness within the labor market,” she commented.
When asked about potential negotiations between the government and the Chega party, Mariana Leitão stated that it is up to the government to decide who to negotiate with, emphasizing that IL is available to support proposals that are “coherent, objective, and improve people’s lives.”
“Proposals that increase costs without any benefit to the people, we obviously cannot agree with, nor will we endorse them,” she added.
The liberal leader also highlighted the importance of the agricultural sector, which she called “fundamental” for the country and territorial organization, urging for the appreciation of farmers and the implementation of the water plan presented by the government, which includes IL’s proposals.
“The agricultural sector has been undervalued. It’s essential to ensure it has enough water for production and that the plan presented by the government is fulfilled. This sector is vital for the country, for food production, and for economic development,” she stated.
Mariana Leitão further argued that agriculture should be seen as a tool for territorial cohesion, capable of attracting people to the country’s interior, regretting that the sector continues to be “forgotten” and “ignored” by public policies.
