The Prime Minister defended today that not rejecting the government’s program in parliament “means allowing its execution until the end of the mandate” or until there is a motion of censure, challenging the PS to say whether it will be opposition or a democratic blockade.
“Not rejecting the Government Program in parliament doesn’t just mean allowing government action to begin. It means allowing it to be implemented until the end of the mandate or, at the very least, until a motion of censure is passed,” said Luís Montenegro in his inauguration speech at the Ajuda Palace in Lisbon.
In his speech, the Prime Minister said that “the government is here to govern the four and a half years of the legislature” and “it’s not here to take turns” or to “just do the easy thing”.
“We’re not interested in semantic games or sterile politicking. If this government, as I hope and know is the wish of the Portuguese, is sworn into parliament and assumes its full powers, it will immediately start planning and implementing structural reforms that will change the country,” he said.
That’s why he said: “Parliamentary investiture, in these circumstances, can only mean that the opposition will respect the principle of letting us work and implement the Government Program.”
“It’s not a question of adherence to this program, but rather of knowing if there is a block on its implementation (…) Not rejecting the Government Program certainly doesn’t mean a blank check, but it can’t mean an uncovered check either,” he said.
Luís Montenegro addressed the PS in particular, which has governed for 22 of the last 28 years.
“Despite its legitimacy in constituting itself as a watchdog of the government’s actions and as a future alternative, which we understand with total democratic respect, it must be clear and authentic about the attitude it is going to take: to be a democratic opposition or to be a democratic blockade,” he said.
The Prime Minister assured that this will be said when the Government Program is discussed in Parliament, scheduled for April 11 and 12.
“But for the sake of principles and institutional loyalty, it must also be said in this solemn act, because it contains the responsibility that each one is willing to assume,” he said.
The Constitution stipulates that a government can only take full office once its program has been examined by parliament, unless it is rejected.
The Assembly of the Republic will debate the program of the XXIV Constitutional Government on April 11 and 12, a document that will be delivered on April 10, the leaders’ conference decided last week.
The PCP has announced its intention to present a motion to reject the government’s program, which is unlikely to be approved since the PS has indicated that it will not support this or any other initiative to prevent the executive from taking office.
