Amid the May 18 legislative elections, Rui Tavares stated in an interview that the Livre party is positioning itself not only to expand its parliamentary group but also to offer an alternative for executive roles. Tavares emphasized that this approach provides a clarity previously lacking in Portuguese politics, particularly on the left.
When asked whether the party would demand to join a government in exchange for parliamentary support from the Socialist Party (PS), the leading candidate from Lisbon responded negatively.
“That is secondary. Livre is ready for such responsibilities if they are handed to us. Above all, Livre is constructive and does not obstruct a government solution that we believe could be beneficial for the country, promote progress, embrace ecology, and be anchored in a left-wing majority,” he stated.
Tavares argued that this “clarity” regarding the readiness to accept executive roles is crucial. He noted that for decades, parties on the left have been criticized for avoiding responsibilities, which served as a pretext for the PS and the center-left to maintain a degree of self-sufficiency in governance, as if governing the country was solely their monopoly.
In the interview, Tavares refrained from setting concrete electoral targets but considered it insufficient if the party merely retained its current representation of four parliament members from last year’s legislative elections, expressing a desire for growth.
Livre’s argument against the so-called useful vote on the left involves convincing voters that a government led by the PS would only advance in certain areas through the “pressure” exerted by Livre.
“Livre knows how to be persistent when necessary, even to the point of being a nuisance, and sometimes that is essential. Above all, Livre is demanding and impatient,” he assured.
Tavares dismissed having “red lines at the outset” in a potential parliamentary agreement but reiterated some of Livre’s key demands. These include insisting that a future prime minister sell, close, or hand over to independent professional management any company they own, to avoid situations like that of Luís Montenegro.
Other proposals the party intends to bring to possible negotiations include requiring government officials to be heard in parliament before assuming executive roles, rejecting any privatization of the National Health Service, and recognizing the state of Palestine.
The deputy claimed Livre’s electoral program offers measures that are “reasonable and realistic” from a budgetary perspective. As an example, the annual one billion euros investment Livre aims to make in housing to reach a 10% public housing share by 2040 would come from an extraordinary tax on the profits of real estate, insurance, and banking companies.
The social inheritance—a “nest egg” of approximately 5,000 euros that the party plans to allocate to every baby born in the country—would cost about 400 million euros, according to Livre’s estimates. This would be funded “through a tax on large inheritances and fortunes, similar to what was implemented in Spain, proportionate to our GDP compared to Spain’s GDP.”
Tavares justified the program’s “prudence” given the current international instability, criticizing the “recklessness and irresponsibility” of other parties.
The Livre leader indicated he would take responsibility for any poor electoral performance but expressed confidence that the party would grow and establish a stronger presence throughout the country.
