José Luís Carneiro stated on Saturday that the Socialist Party (PS) had been established long before Chega, asserting the comparison was “incomparable.” He made these remarks to journalists in Baião, in the Porto district.
“We are far ahead. We have been here since before April 25th. I recall our founders lived in secrecy. They were imprisoned several times. Mário Soares, among others. They were imprisoned. They lived in secrecy for us to live in freedom,” he pointed out when questioned about the possibility of PS falling behind Chega.
“I don’t want to compare what is incomparable,” he emphasized.
When asked about the possibility of socialists being sidelined in agreements with the Government, José Luís Carneiro responded that he had already informed the prime minister, Luís Montenegro, that the PS “wanted to be a firm and alternative opposition.”
Illustrating the convergences in Defense between PS and the Government and also about the potential creation of a coordination unit for emergencies, he declared: “I didn’t ask for any gain with this.”
The PS proposal, which according to the socialist leader has already been sent to Prime Minister Luís Montenegro, and will also be presented as a resolution project in parliament, is for the creation of a coordination unit for hospital emergencies.
Lusa | 15:37 – 16/07/2025
Notably, earlier this week in an interview with CNN Portugal, José Luís Carneiro discussed the willingness to work with the Government.
“There are areas of democratic convergence, including foreign policy, European policy, the relationship with Portuguese-speaking African countries. The relationship with the Atlantic, with Brazil. The options being taken jeopardize a common historical position among the PS, PSD, and even the CDS because we were the builders of the national foreign policy priorities,” he began to criticize, then spoke about the willingness to cooperate in various areas, such as Justice, Defense, and others.
“I haven’t just said it; I have practiced it. A few days ago, I sent a proposal to the prime minister outlining the fundamental lines in the Defense area, which the country must make a tremendous effort – and we can cooperate,” he assured.
The interview with the television station was conducted after the State of the Nation debate, which was marked by moments of tension. The debate, lasting five hours, covered various topics, from announcing the extension of teachers’ travel allowances to the extra for pensioners.
Luís Montenegro acknowledged that much work remains, but he would not waste “a single day of the four-year Legislature.”
It was the Minister of Parliamentary Affairs, Carlos Abreu Amorim, who closed the debate, criticizing the PS for difficulties in reaching agreements with this bloc.
During the parliamentary discussion, the head of Government also stated that “he did not know what” the principle agreement referred to by José Luís Carneiro was. This concerns statements by Chega leader André Ventura, who earlier in the week declared a “principle agreement” with the AD regarding some guidelines for changing the nationality law.
Following Montenegro’s response and returning to the interview on CNN Portugal, José Luís Carneiro stated that the prime minister would now “have to explain.”
