After being asked whether he agreed with fellow presidential candidate Henrique Gouveia e Melo’s criticism of the government during an interview with Antena 1, regarding the phrase “Portugal becomes more Portugal” with the new nationality law, João Cotrim Figueiredo stated that the government’s position “shocked” him, first “from an aesthetic standpoint and then from a political perspective”.
“Portugal is not defined by such situations. Portugal is defined by our nearly nine centuries of history, the pride in what we have already achieved, and, above all, the will for what we want to accomplish. Portugal is not defined by the nuances and details of the Nationality Law,” he argued to journalists after a breakfast and debate organized by the Union of Trade and Services Associations (UACS) in Lisbon.
On October 28, the Minister of the Presidency, Leitão Amaro, argued that “Portugal becomes more Portugal” with the new nationality law, a stance contested by Gouveia e Melo in an interview with Antena 1, released on Wednesday, in which he stated he would not accept “lessons in patriotism” and asked: “What kind of Portugal is that?”
As the revision of the nationality law awaits the President of the Republic’s decision to be enacted, following its approval in parliament, João Cotrim de Figueiredo refrained from predicting what Marcelo Rebelo de Sousa would do, noting that the head of state is “not exactly easy to predict”.
When asked about the impact on the government’s action of the use of presidential vetoes during Marcelo’s terms, the candidate argued that a head of state “should not be limited by whether it results in more or less legislative delay,” because if a law “is so bad that it justifies a veto, then it is good that it does not come into force”.
Cotrim Figueiredo noted, however, that the current constitutional design “somewhat undervalues the signal that a political veto aims to give,” as the Assembly of the Republic holds the power to approve it again in the same form on a second vote, forcing the head of state to promulgate it.
Regarding how he would use the veto during his term, Cotrim said that it would be evaluated “case by case”.
“It might happen that in a week I have to veto 150 bills or none. I hope none, I hope all governments are competent. The best signal for the country is that the President of the Republic does not have to veto anything, because the laws come on time, all well-made, without constitutional doubts,” he considered.
João Cotrim de Figueiredo also addressed the healthcare situation, after being asked about the threat of freelance doctors going on strike, asserting that regardless of the damage of this action, the most important is to discuss the nature of the problems and advance with a reform of the National Health Service (SNS).
“Healthcare providers should only be rewarded if people are attended to in time, with quality, and with their health problem resolved or at least mitigated in those that have no solution. This should be the measure. Providers who do this well should prosper financially and career-wise,” he declared.
