The presidential candidate Henrique Gouveia spoke on Thursday during a visit to the new hospital in Sintra, emphasizing that healthcare is among the areas of greatest concern to the Portuguese public.
“The Portuguese are concerned with three major issues: housing, health, and immigration,” he stated to journalists on site.
Gouveia e Melo pointed out that health should be a priority because “it is one of the elements that most combats social inequalities.”
He also remarked that the President, “whoever is chosen, must be a champion of the issues that the Portuguese people feel.”
He was asked whether the head of state could exert more influence—albeit discreetly—over the government, particularly concerning the various ongoing cases and the current Health Minister Ana Paula Martins’ refusal to resign.
“I have my opinion. I will not express it now. I think such issues should be resolved in the secrecy of offices. I imagine [Marcelo Rebelo de Sousa] will hold meetings and have the necessary conversations with the prime minister. That is what he should do—not publicly, but privately,” he said.
[News in development]
