Ventura threatens to vote against AD budgets, but will not support rejection motion announced by PCP

Chega’s president, André Ventura, distanced himself from the motion to reject the AD Government program announced by the PCP, but threatened to vote against the State Budgets if there is no agreement with the PSD. In an interview with CMTV, this Wednesday night, André Ventura demanded from the PSD a “government agreement” centered on “five priorities” – fight against corruption; tax cuts; increase in pensions; security forces; ex-combatants – so that Chega can make structuring documents such as State Budgets viable.

“I will not make Chega the crutch of any Government“, assured Ventura, stating that he does not make his political life based on calculations, but admitting that “the Portuguese will also know how to value a president who offered to be a guarantee of stability, but no one wanted it.” “If the Government falls, it will be the responsibility of the PSD, it will not be ours”, he reinforced.

The leader of Chega recalled, on the other hand, that in the legislature that is now ending, he voted in favor of proposals from other parties, including the PCP and Livre, and promised to “continue on that record”. “But not in a general guidance document like the Budget. Humiliation has its limits! If there is no agreement or openness to dialogue, I will vote against“, he assured.

Ventura considered that “the time for political crutches is over” and that, with almost 50 deputies elected on Sunday, “it is much more comfortable for Chega to stay in opposition” and then it becomes “easier to come to power”, pointing out the cases of France, Germany and the Netherlands.

The leader of Chega specified that his demand is for a “government agreement” with the PSD, since the parliamentary agreement “has already shown signs of not working”, as was the case in the Azores, stressing that “everyone has to give in “. “My objective is to give Portugal a government. If all this leads to an absolute zero, don’t ask me for responsibility”, he said, stating that he has “channels” to negotiate, but there is nothing formal in progress. “I never stopped being friends with Dr. Luís Montenegro,” he said. As for names for a future Government, André Ventura considered it not to be the “essential issue”, despite considering that “if there is an agreement, people choose the names together”.

Regarding the motion to reject the Government’s program announced by the PCP, the Chega leader said it was not part of his plans to vote in favor. “I don’t have much desire to vote in favor of something that is completely inconsequential”, he declared, saying he was amused by the fact that the PCP announced the presentation at a time when it is not known who the Prime Minister is, nor the Government, nor the program. “I don’t see any viability in this motion“, he reinforced, stating that the decision on the vote will be taken in the coming days at a meeting of the Chega Parliamentary Group.

In the interview with Correio da Manhã/TV, André Ventura protested against news published by Expresso on the Friday before the elections, and not denied by Belém, that the President of the Republic, Marcelo Rebelo de Sousa, would not allow Chega join the Government, which he considered to be an interference in the electoral process.

Ventura assumed that the President had told him some time ago that he “would not oppose” the entry of members of his party into the Government. “If Marcelo says he won’t be lying“, he added, stating that next week he will go to the Belém Palace to insist that “it will be irresponsible” to take the country to new elections just to avoid having Chega elements in the Government.

The Democratic Alliance (AD), which brings together PSD, CDS and PPM, with 29.49%, won 79 deputies in the Assembly of the Republic, in Sunday’s legislative elections, against 77 for the PS (28.66%), followed by It arrives with 48 elected deputies (18.06%).

IL, with eight seats, BE, with five, and PAN, with one, maintained the number of deputies. Livre went from one to four elected representatives while the CDU lost two seats and was left with four deputies.

The four deputies still have to be investigated for emigration, which will only happen on March 20th. Only after that date, and after hearing the parties with parliamentary representation, will the President of the Republic nominate the new Prime Minister.