During a televised debate aired on TVI, the former Chief of the Navy and the presidential candidate backed by the PCP disagreed on nearly every issue, ranging from Ukraine to Portugal’s presence in NATO, economic models, and the new labor package.
Prior to these points of contention, they discussed the health situation of the President of the Republic, who is hospitalized following surgery for a hernia. Both wished Marcelo Rebelo de Sousa a swift recovery and weighed in on whether the head of state should be replaced in circumstances like the current one.
Henrique Gouveia e Melo emphasized adhering to the law, stating he does not believe Marcelo is truly incapacitated from fulfilling his duties. António Filipe mentioned “some confusion over the temporary situation” of disability, noting it applies at the President’s request or in more severe situations, such as death, neither of which applies in this case.
The debate proceeded to international matters, with the situation in Ukraine and the negotiation of a peace agreement highlighting the first major divisions between the two candidates.
António Filipe asserted that “the Ukrainians and the Russians have to decide the terms of peace,” urging a swift agreement to end the war and stressing that “there can be no emotional states,” because neither his opinion will be sought, nor does the Portuguese state need to intervene in this process.
Gouveia e Melo countered that this is an issue where the two candidates stand in opposition, stating that António Filipe “once claimed President Zelensky was supported by fascists and neo-Nazis” and made a mistake about “who invaded whom.”
“The question I have for you is whether you still believe Zelensky is supported by fascists and neo-Nazis and that the great democrat is Mr. Putin, who invaded Ukraine and bears no responsibility,” queried Gouveia e Melo, with António Filipe responding that the admiral is “no further from Putin” than the communist.
“If anyone is politically at odds with Mr. Putin, it’s me, not you. I wasn’t the one who said Portuguese youth should die where they’re sent to die. If nothing sends them to die, they’ll die anywhere. I don’t believe that. I believe Portuguese youth have no reason to die anywhere,” he said.
Gouveia e Melo argued that surrender in war is not peace, but rather “the imposition of others’ will,” and emphasized that Portugal must adhere to the NATO agreement that obliges the country to defend other alliance members in the event of an attack, while the candidate backed by the PCP stated he does not accept that, by belonging to an organization, Portugal “cannot have its own voice.”
Regarding labor legislation, Gouveia e Melo advocated for the “Government to take a more negotiable approach” and called for balance in a social contract that “leaves no one behind,” a position to which António Filipe responded, stating he “cannot understand” what the opponent thinks about “anything,” because “he says generalities.”
To this accusation, Gouveia e Melo retorted by identifying himself as an “old social democrat,” who reconciles market economy and workers’ rights and accused António Filipe of being an advocate of a state-controlled economic model “that has already failed.”
Asked about their primary concern on inauguration day, should they be elected, Gouveia e Melo expressed a desire to “transform the country” and assured he would not be a “puppet, nor a blocking force to the Government,” while António Filipe stated he wants “the Portuguese people to feel they have a President who stands by their side and knows their problems,” and guaranteed to do everything to uphold the rights enshrined in the Constitution.
[News updated at 10:29 PM]
