The founder of the Bloco de Esquerda (BE), Francisco Louçã, alongside Fernando Rosas and Luís Fazenda, announced their candidacy for the legislature last week, marking a return more than a decade later. Louçã expressed “complete confidence” in the leadership of Mariana Mortágua and her significance for Portugal and the future of the Left, while also acknowledging the contributions of Catarina Martins. He stated that the current situation “demanded” the return of significant reinforcements.
“I realized that the situation had changed so deeply in recent months that it required what we hadn’t thought necessary, which was to rally all our strength and demonstrate confidence and resolve”, he explained on Tuesday in an interview with RTP2.
Citing international scenarios, including plans for a “riviera in Gaza” aimed at displacing over two and a half million people and discussions regarding the division of Ukrainian territory, Louçã criticized the actions of the government: “A government that precipitates elections over a petty political game, a strategic maneuver by its prime minister to cover up a deal he had set up at home”, he asserted.
“This political degradation, this vile politics in which Portugal finds itself, required us to make a stand and join the struggle that everyone must engage in”, he added.
When asked if the loss of influence of the BE, which elected five deputies in the last elections, influenced this decision, he responded: “The Bloco was defeated by the Socialist Party’s absolute majority in 2022, leading to a result where voters might question whether it was the Bloco or the absolute majority that was right. The total instability created by this absolute majority, the disregard for housing policy leading to a social crisis, or even the neglect of the health service.”
Louçã further illustrated the climate of “instability” with the case involving the former CEO of the National Health Service, António Gandra d’Almeida, who worked as a freelancer while presiding over INEM. He emphasized that the official was “appointed by this government [of Luís Montenegro],” criticizing the administration led by António Costa: “Who created the system of freelancers? Who allowed doctors to earn triple their colleagues without being tied to the hospital? Who dismantled the SNS? It was the absolute majority.”
The head of the BE list for Braga considered that the party was “penalized by an artificial crisis created by the Socialist Party government, leading to the absolute majority”, but he noted that in the last legislative elections, the party gained traction, despite having only five deputies. “It garnered more confidence. And now it will have much more,” he emphasized.
Louçã was also questioned about the possibility of reaching an understanding with the Left but argued that it is now time to decide between the Left or the Right.
“I believe that the strength of a party – and it will be BE’s strength – is to bring together people with very diverse opinions who can fight for Portugal […]. I think a Left is needed that, at this moment of so much difficulty, with so many people afraid – there’s a zombie policy – that says: we are peace. We are solidarity. We want to guarantee wages, housing. And for that, difficult choices are necessary,” he stated, referring to election day, which is scheduled for May 18.
