Presidential candidate Luís Marques Mendes refrained from commenting on a potential candidacy of António Sampaio da Nóvoa for the Presidency of the Republic, stating that “the debates about who is or isn’t a candidate do not solve the problem of any Portuguese citizen.”
“If Professor Sampaio da Nóvoa decides to present his candidacy, I do what I do with all candidates: I greet him democratically,” he stated to journalists during a visit to Monção.
In the 2016 Presidential elections, António Sampaio da Nóvoa was the second most voted, trailing behind Marcelo Rebelo de Sousa. At that time, without explicit support from the Socialist Party (PS), he secured 1,062,380 votes (22.88%), while the current head of state received nearly two and a half million votes (52%).
However, the former president of the Social Democratic Party (PSD) considered that “more important than the debates about who will or won’t be a candidate” is “talking about the country, for the country, and the people’s problems.”
“These debates about who is or isn’t a candidate do not solve the problem of any Portuguese citizen, and today, the Portuguese are concerned about their lives, the cost of living, problems in Health, Education…”, he remarked.
Marques Mendes reiterated that his “only concern” is to focus “on people’s problems” and maintained that “whoever is a candidate for the Presidency of the Republic should be concerned with the people and not political games.”
Nationality Law? Immigrants “are an opportunity, not a problem”
Regarding the Nationality Law, the presidential candidate asserted that “immigration is an opportunity for Portugal” and that “immigrants are important because they help Social Security, assist companies in making investments, and help create investment.”
“They are an opportunity, not a problem. Now, it must be regulated, controlled immigration, with doors that aren’t wide open. That’s why it’s necessary to make some adjustments to the immigration law, and I hope they are made with balance,” he added.
The Government’s law proposals and Chega’s law projects on the Nationality Law and immigration entered the specialty phase without being voted on in general terms in the plenary on Friday at the Assembly of the Republic.
The Government’s law proposal to amend the nationality diploma, which will now be discussed in committee, seeks to increase the residence period in Portugal required for citizenship acquisition (from five to 7 or 10 years, depending on whether they are Lusophone or non-Lusophone citizens).
The Government also anticipates the possibility of losing nationality for those naturalized for less than 10 years and sentenced to an effective prison term of five years or more for committing serious crimes. Concerning the attribution of original nationality to descendants of foreign residents in Portugal, a legal residence period of three years is required.
