Controversy centres on remarks made by mayor in wake of Lisbon rioting
Knives are out in Portugal’s PS Socialist hierarchy: leading figures in the main opposition party, including former prime minister António Costa, have in a newspaper article today criticised statements made by the PS mayor of Loures who backed a proposal for the eviction from municipal housing of any tenants involved in the recent rioting in Lisbon suburbs, on the basis that gratuitous vandalism goes against PS values, culture and identity.
But in an article published in Público today, Costa, José Leitão (a member of parliament and member of the PS’s Lisbon municipal political committee) and Pedro Silva Pereira (a former member of the European Parliament) react sorely – arguing that “in addition to grossly violating the reserved competences of the Assembly of the Republic and the courts, (any evictions) would manifestly disproportionately affect the fundamental right to housing of the people themselves and, more importantly, of the innocent people who, as part of the (rioters’) household, would be collaterally punished simply for living in the same house.
“When a Socialist leader seriously offends the values, identity and culture of the PS, there is no tactical calculation that can devalue it,” the article continues.
“This is the legacy of the Socialist Party that we now feel duty-bound to remember and defend. In defence of the honour of the PS!“
The text refers to examples of the PS struggles for freedom, the rule of law, equality and social justice – mentioning also “public policies for the integration of immigrants” and how important immigration is for “economic growth and the sustainability of the welfare state”.
In short, it is a furious retort to the comments of Ricardo Leão, who only yesterday was supported by party leader Pedro Nuno Santos, who said the equivalent of ‘yes, he was a little hasty, yes he said the wrong things, but he is basically a good Socialist who has done great work for his municipality’.
Coming as today’s letter does when right-wing party CHEGA is delighting in the ‘turning right’ of the United States – saying this needs to happen also in Europe – the signatories refer to “confronting CHEGA” which “requires firmness in principles and combating easy perceptions with the reality of the facts” – stressing “it has been proven that there is no relationship between crime and immigration” (which was actually never part of Ricardo Leão’s discourse).
The Loures mayor, who is also the current president of the Lisbon Urban Area Federation (FAUL) of the PS, has told reporters the letter has brought him close to ‘throwing in the towel’ – which may still happen. He was, after all, only giving his approval to a proposal put before the council by a member representing CHEGA.
UPDATE: Ricardo Leão has decided to resign from the presidency of the Lisbon Federation of the PS to avoid the party being damaged by this controversy, caused by the approval of a recommendation by CHEGA in the municipality.
In a statement, Leão thanked the “solidarity and support” shown “by all” the mayors of the Lisbon Urban Area Federation (FAUL) of the PS and “all” the mayors elected in the Lisbon district.
“Nevertheless, I felt this was the best decision to focus on my work in Loures City Council and prevent the Socialist Party from being damaged by a controversy created by the decontextualization of a recommendation approved by 64% of the Loures City Council councillors,” he said.
In the note he made a point of rejecting “the association between crime and immigration”, stating that he had never made such an association, considering that it would be “offensive to the humanist values of democratic and internationalist socialism”.
Leão stresses he will now concentrate on his ‘recanditature for mayor’ in next year’s municipal elections.
