The Secretary-General of the Socialist Party, José Luís Carneiro, stated today that the Socialists will either vote in favor or abstain on the government’s measure for reducing IRS, while leaving open the possibility of proposing specific amendments.
After presiding over his first parliamentary group meeting as PS leader, José Luís Carneiro was queried by journalists about the party’s voting intentions regarding the government’s proposal scheduled for debate on Friday, which involves an additional IRS reduction worth 500 million euros, to be implemented within the current year.
“We will await the vote as there are two possibilities. If we favor reducing the tax burden, we might abstain because it is not our proposal, or vote in favor. However, it is essential to know the specifics of what the government will present,” he emphasized.
Regarding the potential presentation of amendments, the PS leader deferred this decision to a “timely moment,” leaving the possibility “open for the specialty.”
The PS leader emphasized that the Socialists advocate for “reducing the tax burden on labor” and that this specific proposal “should correspond to social justice,” cautioning that “the government cannot claim to reduce IRS and then covertly increase ISP.”
On Friday, the parliament will debate the government’s proposal for an additional IRS reduction of 500 million euros, slated for this year.
A government statement remarked on the approved proposal, highlighting that it “provides a new relief in the tax burden, further reducing marginal rates across all brackets, up to the 8th bracket.”
Last week, in an initial reaction to this measure, José Luís Carneiro, then a candidate for the PS leadership, expressed support for the IRS reduction but noted the need to consider the proposal’s parliamentary discussion, stressing that it is crucial to protect public accounts and social justice.
“We are in favor of fiscal alleviation, a tax decrease, but now we must see, within parliamentary discussion, the terms under which it will occur, as we must also ensure public accounts’ stability and health,” he stated.
José Luís Carneiro made these remarks to journalists upon entering a campaign activity at SEDES in Lisbon, following questions about the government’s proposal for an additional IRS reduction of 500 million euros to be enacted this year.
