Candidate to PS Socialist leadership reveals principal goals
José Luís Carneiro – the only politician so far willing to take on leadership of the PS Socialist party – wants the national average wage to reach the European level by 2035 and all families to have access to decent housing within the same period.
These two goals are included in his strategic motion in which he presents what he calls the ‘Portugal Future Pact’ – ‘a pact with the younger generation and future generations’, which has the vision of the country that he hopes to see in 2050 as its horizon.
In this pact, Carneiro defends the need for a ‘solid policy of increasing incomes and reducing the tax burden, so that, within 10 years, the average Portuguese salary reaches the average European salary’ (something that is currently a long way from being attained)
Carneiro argues that ‘fair wages are a necessary prerequisite for the dignification of labour and quality of life of workers, contributing to better social justice within a framework of harmonious socio-economic development of the country.
“The social development of the country requires an increase in salaries and incomes, which presupposes the growth of the economy and that workers and entrepreneurs are part of the success of companies,’ reads the pact, which includes targets for housing, a sector in which, he argues, the PS must continue to prioritise ‘new policies, reinforcing the sense of social emergency in its actions in this area’.
“Our goal must be to ensure that, within ten years, all families have access to decent housing, combining the market offer with the municipal housing offer and incentives to build affordable homes,” he says.
Another of the goals is to guarantee that ‘by 2035 at the latest, Portugal will be able to supply itself with electricity from renewable sources’, with José Luís Carneiro arguing that the PS should ‘continue to lead political proposals in the field of environmental protection and regeneration and climate action’.
Calling for increased support for micro, small and medium-sized businesses, ‘since they represent a significant slice of national employment’, José Luís Carneiro also pledges to promote tax justice, ‘combating tax fraud and evasion, correspondingly reducing taxes on compliant citizens and companies’.
The candidate says his party must reaffirm its defence of a ‘robust and modern’ state health service (SNS), a ‘public pension system that guarantees intergenerational equity’ and ‘a quality public school that is a factor in improving qualifications and equal opportunities’.
“The PS rejects the privatisation of health, the commodification of pensions and the de-budgetisation of public schools,” he adds.
In terms of agreements with the AD government, Carneiro once again stresses that his party will offer a ‘firm and responsible opposition’, as well as ‘democratic consensus’ in key areas (foreign and European policy, defence, security, justice and state organisation).
Internal elections for the leadership of the PS will take place on June 27 and 28. So far, José Luís Carneiro is the only candidate who seems willing to take over where Pedro Nuno Santos left off – after leading the party to a disastrous result in the May 18 elections. ND
