Former PSD president Marques Mendes is currently on a pre-campaign visit in Paris, engaging with the Portuguese community between October 4 and 6, following visits to Luxembourg on October 2 and 3.
Speaking from the French capital, Mendes emphasizes the need for increased investment in overseas schools and attracting more teachers to promote the Portuguese language abroad.
“It’s crucial to enhance investment in Portuguese,” he asserts, advocating for incentives to encourage teaching within Portuguese communities.
“If we don’t invest, Portuguese will inevitably decline. I’ll focus my influence on this priority [as President of the Republic],” he pledges, referencing his September manifesto prioritizing Portuguese culture, language, and education.
“I’ve reiterated this for a while, and here in Paris, there’s a shared agreement: the community feels strong ties with Portugal and is well-connected with both French authorities and elites, but without more investment in the language, Portuguese risks losing its significance,” he notes.
The manifesto highlights his previous role in launching RTP Internacional in the 1990s and argues that the President should leverage his influence to elevate the strategic value of Portuguese communities.
Mendes insists the language plays a central role in achieving these objectives.
“Portugal can’t contradict itself by rightly advocating for Portuguese as an official UN language while under-investing in its education among communities,” he explains.
Supported by the PSD, Mendes began his pre-campaign in Luxembourg, where the Portuguese community constitutes nearly 20% of the population.
During his visit to Luxembourg, he found the Portuguese community highly respected and esteemed.
In Paris since Saturday, Mendes observes a well-integrated community.
“Being in Paris feels like being in Portugal. The city boasts immense values, culture, and history, with modern history strongly linked to the exemplary Portuguese community,” he notes, offering three observations.
“First, the community is deeply integrated into Parisian society. Second, it contributes positively to France by solving problems instead of creating them. Third, there’s a pressing need that I fully endorse: greater investment in teaching the Portuguese language,” he stresses.
As part of his pre-campaign activities, Mendes will tour Notre Dame Cathedral, a project involving several Portuguese companies. He will also meet the Portuguese ambassador and visit the Consulate General, followed by a luncheon with the Association of Portuguese Mayors in France.
