The PSD leader rejected this Wednesday, December 10, that there could be any favoritism from the next President of the Republic to the Government parties, and argued that Luís Marques Mendes “is the candidate most knowledgeable” about the powers of the head of State.
Luís Montenegro, as well as the CDS-PP president, Nuno Melo, were present this Wednesday at the presentation of a book about the career of the presidential candidate supported by both parties, Luís Marques Mendes.
Asked whether it would be dangerous for the Portuguese, in the January 18 elections, to put “all their eggs in one basket”, voting for a candidate of the same political color as the Government, Montenegro replied that it was not worth creating “clouds of smoke” or fears about this.
“The situation we have will not change, even with the possible election of Doctor Luís Marques Mendes (…) The system works very well and there is no favoritism on the part of the President of the Republic towards any political force”he stated, saying that this has already happened when the heads of state were from the PSD, just as when they were from the PS.
Montenegro even highlighted that, in the past, moments of greatest tension “happened to people from the same political sector”, reiterating that “the system is formatted with a balance of powers, separation and interdependence of powers that are set out in the Constitution” and asked the Portuguese to make the decision based on other criteria.
“That is not the most relevant thing, the most important thing is for the Portuguese to make their assessment about who has the greatest aptitude and the greatest competence to hold a position that is very important in the structure of our country, he is the highest magistrate in the nation”he stated.
At this point, the prime minister considered that, in the pre-campaign phase, Marques Mendes has appeared as “a candidate who is different from the others”.
“A candidate who appears much more prepared, much more serene, much more knowledgeable about the country, much more knowledgeable about presidential duties, demanding, but conciliatory”he considered, saying that he has “demonstrated the value of the political experience” he has to be able, from Belém, to “pull national capabilities”.
When asked whether he will participate in the campaign, he referred this assessment to another stage, saying that “the added value is the candidate”.
“I am available to contribute so that this clarification can be further clarified, but the campaign is a non-partisan campaign”he emphasized.
When asked whether it would be an advantage to have a candidate in Belém who is not “anti-system”, Montenegro rejected this concept.
“I think there is no candidate for President of the Republic who can be anti-system, because the Presidency of the Republic is in itself a structuring element of the system”he stated.
The presentation of the book “Luís Marques Mendes – a political life”, by Observador journalist Luís Rosa, takes place at the Portuguese Chamber of Commerce and Industry, in Lisbon, and is in charge of the first vice-president of the PSD Leonor Beleza.
In the audience, several ministers from the current Government are present, as well as deputies from the PSD and CDS-PP and some former leaders of both parties, among other figures such as the former governor of the Bank of Portugal Carlos Costa or the president of the Lisbon City Council, Carlos Moedas.
This is Marques Mendes’ first pre-campaign initiative in which Prime Minister Luís Montenegro and Defense Minister Nuno Melo are present, after both parties approved support for this candidacy for the January 18 presidential elections.