Lisbon, Sept. 22, 2026 (Lusa) - The Socialist Party's Secretary-General said Tuesday that he was «different from Luís Montenegro» when he was the PSD's parliamentary leader, and pledged to propose only measures to tackle the crisis that are «fiscally sustainable».
Speaking on the sidelines of a meeting with representatives from the tourism, trade and services sectors in Lisbon, José Luís Carneiro said he had given «clear instructions» to the PS parliamentary group that the Socialists should always put forward «proposals that are fiscally sustainable».
«This government has specialised in being a source of instability, a source of uncertainty and a source of irresponsibility, as well as in creating scapegoats. I can say to the Portuguese people that all the proposals we have put forward to date are sustainable in the light of both projected and unprojected state revenue,» José Luís Carneiro told journalists.
The PS leader said it was important for Prime Minister Luís Montenegro «to listen to the statements he made about VAT in 2022» and to look at the proposals parliament approved in 2009 «in absentia», «at a time when the country was facing an international crisis».
«At the time, Luís Montenegro was the PSD's parliamentary leader, and they approved nine out of 13 proposals, saying that an absolute majority now existed in parliament, but there is one thing I can say to the Portuguese people: I am different from Luís Montenegro, and the proposals I put forward are fiscally sustainable», he added.
On the feasibility of the 2027 State Budget, the PS secretary-general said he continues «to await the prime minister's response» to a «demand» he made regarding revising the Constitution.
«I hope the prime minister will clarify this issue before submitting the State Budget to parliament,» he said, telling journalists that «no meetings or negotiations» are planned.
In mid-August, at the Socialist Party's return-to-work event in Olhão, Carneiro challenged Montenegro to say whether he was willing to work with the PS to ensure that a constitutional revision «safeguards the fundamental values and principles of the Constitution».
The guidance he gave the PS parliamentary group on fiscally viable proposals to tackle the crisis also applies to how the Socialists vote on measures put forward by other parliamentary groups, Carneiro said, insisting that his party keeps «parliament distinct from the government».
«There are those who wish to conflate the powers; we maintain clear separation. The government has a mandate to govern; we have a mandate to propose, to suggest, to recommend and to scrutinise the government, and that is what we have sought to do with the proposals put forward as political recommendations to the government», he said, referring to the draft resolution on measures to alleviate the cost of living, which is due to be debated again in parliament this week.
Insisting that the government's measures to tackle the crisis «are insufficient and meagre» in relation to the needs of the Portuguese people, Carneiro referred to the discussion of the forthcoming State Budget, calling for a «focus on the political priorities the government wishes to address», whilst once again questioning the state's purchase of shares in REN.
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