The government, through the Ministry of Labor, announced to the country its decision to abandon any connection to CASES (Cooperativa António Sérgio para a Economia Social). The State will thus no longer be the institutional agent (the public coordinator) of the instrument for supervising Social Economy stakeholders, transferring its specific powers to the General Directorate of Social Security.
Many texts have been written and signatures have been collected as is usual when we give in to indignation. However, indignation, as someone has already said, is a spasm of intelligence. When we let our viscera prevail over our reason, when our screams become stronger than our arguments, battles are rarely won and wars are rarely won.
Dear Luís Montenegro, with this decision, you send a very bad signal.
I assume that you may not know the real importance, also symbolic, of CASES. It is not difficult for me to recognize that Cooperativa António Sérgio has strived to be blatantly non-existent. Its president, who has been in current management for years, has never made any relevant direct or indirect statement regarding the importance and influence of the Social Economy. I myself, and many cooperative agents, mutualists or those responsible for foundations and charities, complain about the same thing. The leadership of CASES, in fact, tried hard to be considered expendable.
I respect the desire for reform and savings on the part of the executive, but is the reform done without an instrument for regulating the Social Economy? We are talking about a sector with more than 300 thousand workers and an economic value that exceeds five percent of GDP. But, incomparably more important than any quantification, is the relevance in areas that are decisive for the State – the area of health, the area of social support, agriculture, housing, the financial area through mutuals and cooperatives.
The reason is not financial. A regulatory agent has the ability to create its own revenue and value for its stakeholders. Listen to agents and change leadership, adjust objectives and monitor progress.
In these very complex times, reforms are carried out by opening horizons supported by instruments of trust. Here, the end of one of them is announced without knowing its ends. The government cannot abdicate its role as regulator, especially of the Social Economy – even if it is due to the loss of an opportunity to be more effective in sectors that are fundamental to governance. It’s not just health, agriculture or social support, it’s also the influence on credit and housing where cooperativism and mutualism can, as I wrote in a recent article, play a decisive role, as happens for example in France, Germany, Canada
Dear Prime Minister, the Social Economy is inclusive and redistributes wealth. It is important not to disrupt alliances that may be important to you. The announcement of the end of a relationship with CASES offers a very bad sign. For us, who believe in the goodness and importance of the role we play, but also for the country that loses a decisive instrument… even due to the policy of greater restriction on emigration and the difficulty of managing the always uncontrollable expenses of the SNS.
Furthermore, allow me to tell you that this is not news that happens at Christmas.
It’s not fair, it’s not good and it’s not smart. I am a social democrat, I believe that the redistribution of money in the economy is based on capitalism, but on a human capitalism – I believe we think the same. And do you know the reason for my adherence to Francisco Sá Carneiro’s words? Precisely the link between the founder of the PPD and the figure of António Sérgio who, as you know as well as I do, was ideologically the founder of Portuguese social democracy.
The Social Economy is needed, has broad constitutional enshrinement, represents thousands of projects and has an influence that will tend to grow. It is an Economy that does not burden the OE, on the contrary, it alleviates it. It does not depend on contributory goods, but only on tradable ones. It’s not too late for us to present you with a model with mutual guarantees. We are stronger if we don’t decide to be weak just because of current interests or because something didn’t work in the process. I believe there is a way. And that there are walkers for good, here and there.
And, I would like to take this opportunity to wish the government of Portugal, and the Portuguese, a 2026 with solidarity and value.
President of the Torres Vedras Mutual Agricultural Credit Bank
manuel.guerreiro@ccamtv.pt