The president of Chega, André Ventura, set the bar to overcome the Social Democratic Party (PSD) in number of votes in the next legislative elections and lead the next Government of Portugal without needing the Liberal Initiative (IL).
“Nothing prevents us, and recent European history shows this well, that if we are in the 12, 14 or 15% as we are in some polls, we can climb the margin we aspire to and overcome the PSD in votes in the next elections”, said André Ventura , in his speech at the 13th national council, which took place in Cantanhede, in the district of Coimbra, on Saturday.
The party leader thus commented on the recent interview with the President of the Republic, who stated that there is an arithmetic right-wing majority in Portugal, but not a political one, and that current voting intentions for the PSD indicate “a weak alternative in leadership”.
In a message to the inside of the party, André Ventura challenged leaders and militants to “stop thinking about how we are going to make an agreement with the PSD, whether they are going to accept it or not, or what ministries and what kind of policies we are going to to do”.
“Our fight is not that. Our struggle in the coming years must be to show the Portuguese that we are the alternative they truly wanted and not whether the PSD and Chega will get along or whether the PSD will allow Chega to be a partner of the Government”, he underlined.
Much applauded, the president of Chega stated that the party “will be the most voted in the next legislative elections and lead this right-wing Government in Portugal”, stressing that they do not need the IL “for nothing”.
“Since when are we going to need IL for something”, he emphasized.
In an analysis of the political situation in the country, André Ventura again criticized the “passing the blame” of PS and PSD on the financial issue of TAP and recalled that Chega was the first party to propose a commission of inquiry to analyze the situation.
“If there were shady deals at TAP, we will demand answers and responsibilities, whatever the party, it was Portuguese money. The process and mess of nationalization, reprivatization and the middle led us to lose money in an inconceivable way, ”he said.
The leader of Chega again defended tougher penalties for pedophiles or child abusers, regarding the recent cases disclosed within the Portuguese Catholic Church, considering that “a good pedophile is a pedophile in prison”, but also highlighted the State’s responsibilities in the old process from Casa Pia.
Regarding the rise in food prices in Portugal, André Ventura criticized the “unacceptable” profit margins and called for relentless supervision of food prices.