“I have heard from many people, especially the younger generation, demanding a more competitive economy […] because it creates more wealth and better salaries. But I also hear from the older generation who wants a functional state that responds to their needs in areas like healthcare, especially if they want to return. They seek clarity on the tax system without constant changes and a state closer to them for bureaucratic issues. They want a functional state and a competitive economy,” said António José Seguro.
Speaking to journalists after visiting a store with Portuguese products in Brussels, the PS-supported candidate advocated for “a country with one people, one nation, which, despite its differences and plurality, unites around a common project.”
In this pre-campaign action for the presidential elections among the diaspora in Belgium, after visiting emigrants in Zurich and Geneva (Switzerland), Paris (France), and Luxembourg, António José Seguro stressed that the President of the Republic has “a demanding role to ensure governments, parliament, and parties find concrete solutions to address people’s problems.”
“I’ve come to unite, aiming to bring everyone on the same path, which is to make Portugal a prosperous country, a country with a future, a country of excellence that creates opportunities for everyone to achieve professionally and personally,” he added.
This visit to the Portuguese diaspora in Europe, which began last Thursday and ends today, aimed, according to António José Seguro, to demonstrate that “there are not two types of Portuguese, those inside and those outside.”
“I have an idea of congregation, of aggregation, because I often say where there is a Portuguese, there is Portugal,” he stated.
António José Seguro also emphasized the need to promote the teaching of Portuguese abroad, noting that “the Portuguese language is not only a unifying factor for the nation but also a factor that can help structure and enhance cultural activity and business opportunities.”
“We are one of the most spoken languages in the world, and this sense of Portuguese identity is also affirmed through the language. The President can and should play a role of inspiration, mobilization, and reminder that Portuguese is a language that must advance, a language of the future and not just nostalgia,” he outlined.
Regarding his stance on the European Union (EU), given his presence in the capital that hosts the EU institutions, he affirmed being “a Europeanist” but criticized the way Europe operates “always around a roundabout.” It’s slow to act, slow to react, particularly in economic competitiveness.
Concerning defense, he expressed similar criticism, arguing that the EU “should already have a political platform for decision-making in this area.”
When asked if he had considered meeting with fellow Socialist António Costa, now President of the European Council, during this visit to Brussels, António José Seguro replied, “At this moment, my concern is listening to the Portuguese communities rather than addressing the institutions.”
In the manifesto released today in Brussels, the PS-backed presidential candidate commits to “representing all Portuguese, wherever they live, and valuing the role of communities in asserting Portugal in the world.”
To this end, he aims to simplify and make the voting process for Portuguese residents abroad more accessible, ensure more effective consular services, promote the teaching of Portuguese and investment, and give “special attention to the new generation of Portuguese descendants.”
