These positions were taken by Luís Montenegro during the presentation of the electoral program of the AD — PSD/CDS Coalition, at a session held at the Lisbon Congress Center.
Concerning public finances, the current Prime Minister sought to assure that he will govern with “feet firmly on the ground,” noting that he understands the current international context.
He addressed forecasts by institutions such as the Bank of Portugal and the Public Finance Council, which suggest that the country might return to a budget deficit as early as 2026, primarily due to the impact of loans within the PRR (Recovery and Resilience Program) on national public accounts.
“We will govern with a sense of responsibility. And no, Portugal will not return to having a deficit with us. It will not be with us that Portugal will face restrictions due to the irresponsibility of the rulers,” he stated, referencing the second socialist government led by José Sócrates between 2009 and 2011.
At this stage of his speech, the PSD leader also responded to criticisms from the PS regarding changes made by the Ministry of Finance last year concerning the withholding tax tables for IRS (Income Tax).
The Prime Minister regretted that the PS continues to claim “repeatedly that the Government used a trick with the reduction of IRS.”
For Luís Montenegro, Pedro Nuno Santos “implies that the tax amount has not decreased, due to the circumstance that some taxpayers may receive smaller refunds this year than they received in 2024, or may no longer receive refunds because the withholdings at source decreased significantly in 2024.”
“I ask a straightforward, direct question to Dr. Pedro Nuno Santos: Tell us, with seriousness and accuracy, whether the IRS in 2024 has decreased or not? Just say yes or no. You don’t need to say anything else,” he stated, receiving much applause.
