“I want to be a President who is a mediator, not just a moderator (…) an active, proactive President who builds bridges, understandings, and convergences, whether to avoid crises or to solve problems, impasses, and blockages,” he stated, insisting that the country “has been stagnating for 25 years” and that “all the diagnoses are done.”
Marques Mendes highlighted the need to transform these diagnoses into solutions, identifying “ambition, stability, and political dialogue” as priorities.
“I will not be a President with arms crossed,” he emphasized.
The former PSD president also criticized the short-term view in national politics and called for adherence to government mandates.
“We cannot have elections every year. That is not a way of life,” he warned.
During his visit to the National Agriculture Fair in Santarém, which this year marks the 50th anniversary of the Portuguese Farmers Confederation (CAP), the presidential candidate justified his presence as a signal that agriculture should be recognized as a strategic sector for territorial cohesion and food security.
“The agricultural sector has a deficit of 5 billion euros between imports and exports (…) This shows that we need to produce more (…) Agriculture cannot continue to be the economy’s poor relative,” he stated.
The candidate assured he intends to “give political and strategic visibility” to the sector, while emphasizing that public policies are the Government’s responsibility.
“The President does not govern, but can have causes. And this is a cause that deserves to be promoted,” he said.
When asked about the other candidates for the Presidency of the Republic, such as Gouveia e Melo, Joana Amaral Dias, and António José Seguro, Marques Mendes refused to engage in direct confrontations, stressing that he will campaign “positively” and that the real opponent is “the impoverishment of the country.”
“The country needs self-esteem and growth. And that is why I am in this campaign,” he stated.
