Government guaranteed political, social, economic, and financial stability

"Is there or isn’t there institutional confidence for the Government continuing to execute its programme? That is the question we’re debating here" said Prime Minister Luís Montenegro at the discussion on the vote of confidence put forward by Government, rejected by the opposition parties in Parliament.

Luís Montenegro added that "as is obvious, we will not demand" other parties "to join the Government programme politically, but we cannot relinquish institutional confidence", as this is "the only way Portugal can maintain effective political stability" and "avoid the institutional political degradation towards a level that is beneath us".

Recalling that "a year ago, the people entrusted in us the responsibility of ruling", he noted that "despite the demanding parliamentary context", "we guaranteed political stability, fostering social stability, and we consolidated economic and financial stability".

"Fulfilling our commitment with the Portuguese people, we have executed the Government’s programme with the aim of solving people’s problems and transforming Portugal, transforming the economy to generate the necessary wealth to create and create jobs and sustain the Social state", he claimed. 

Done

The Prime Minister noted the Government’s main political initiatives "with a four-year horizon, yet without wasting time" "during these 11 months to fulfil the dream of any Portuguese person to be happy in Portugal":

• The Accelerate the Economy programme is under way "with a focus on public and private investment", an example of which is Volkswagen’s decision.
• Income tax on labour has dropped, especially among the middle class and youths.
• Average net monthly income has risen around 7%.
• Pensions and co-payments on medicine have gone up.
• Unemployment is at a historical low and employment at a historical high.
• 17 careers in Public Administration have been increased.
• Ther was economic growth above what was expected, plus a budget surplus and lowering public debt.
• Structural investments were decided on in the airport, road, and rail sectors alongside improvements in urban mobility.
• The process to build 59 thousand public dwellings is ongoing.
• The mess with immigration services is over, strengthening regulation and humanisation.
• There was an increase in police outreach and countering serious and violent crime.
• The Health Emergency and Transformation Programme is being enforced and solving many structural problems, reducing the number of Portuguese people without a GP o waiting time in the emergency room.
• Public schooling is being reformulated from pre-school to higher education, granting more quality and rigour.
• The largest investment ever in the field of water was launched: "Água que une" (water than unites).
• We are investing in culture, sports, the environment, partnerships with social institutions.

Luís Montenegro recalled that "a year ago we were faced with a collapsing social state and today we have a stabilised and peaceful country with its performance renowned internationally", adding that "a transformation is truly under way" and "Portugal cannot stop".

Conduct

As to his conduct, the Prime Minister stressed "I answered to the parliamentary requests, I clarified any questions, I answered to two motions of censure" and "I am completely available to answer any additional clarifications", adding that "I do not fear scrutiny, those who have done nothing wrong have no fear and my mind is at rest".

Claiming that "a lie often repeated does not make it the truth, yet it taints the political environment and creates an artificial climate of weariness and mistrust of the Government", of which "populism is fuelled" and with which "politics is degraded", he said that "it’s time to set the record straight".

"Those who truly wish to protect political stability, safeguard the present and the future can vote" in favour of the vote of confidence, "those who wish to only protect party interests" can vote against it.