António José Seguro delivered a speech today in Lisbon at the presentation of the youth movement supporting his bid for the presidency, Movimento Futuro Seguro, emphasizing that this campaign is not about him but the future of the country.
“These causes of humanism, progress, and democracy are the causes your candidate brings to this campaign, which I want to be a civic campaign, for what is most important, which is written here: future,” he assured, after providing some insight into his career.
As a former leader of the Socialist Youth, Seguro campaigned for the end of mandatory military service, arguing that the “defense of the country and its Armed Forces should have a more professional nature” in light of existing challenges.
“A hundred years ago, people were given rifles and sent off. Millions upon millions died. I do not want young people in Portugal to be cannon fodder,” he argued.
The presidential candidate stated that if it is necessary to defend Portugal, “there are smarter ways to do it.”
“But I also want to say something very simple: our best defense is investing in peace, and issues should be resolved peacefully,” he pointed out.
Seguro sees a new cycle after Sunday’s local elections and reiterated that his campaign is “nonpartisan, plural, independent, open, where everyone thinks as they see fit.”
