Housing, minimum wage of one thousand euros and recognition of Palestine among PCP priorities – Politics

This Tuesday, the PCP presented the first initiatives of the new legislature, such as the increase in the National Minimum Wage to one thousand euros this year, measures aimed at combating the housing crisis and the recognition of the State of Palestine.

These measures were presented by the communist parliamentary leader, Paula Santos, at a press conference at the Assembly of the Republic, on the first day of the 16th legislature.

The leader began by mentioning that, at the beginning of a new legislature, “the problems in the lives of workers, retirees and young people have not disappeared”, arguing that the future PSD-CDS government will not resolve them.

“The PCP takes the initiative, certain that despite the obstacles that result from the composition of the Assembly of the Republic, the workers and the people have enough strength to, through their struggle, defend rights, demand and obtain answers”, defended Paula Santos .

Among the first initiatives, which have already entered the parliament’s services, is the increase in the National Minimum Wage to one thousand euros during this year and the extraordinary increase in pensions with effect from January 2024, “to make an increase of 7.5% not less than 70 euros per pensioner”.

The PCP insists on one of its main banners, changes to labor laws, moving forward with the repeal of the expiry of collective bargaining and the reinstatement of the principle of more favorable treatment for workers.

In the field of housing, the communists propose the creation of a special regime to protect tenants, “either by limiting the updating of rent values ​​for new contracts to 0.43, by limiting evictions due to proven economic insufficiency, or by revoking the designated ‘eviction counter’ and for the reinstatement of the special eviction procedure through the courts”.

As for housing credit, the communists defend the creation of a special home ownership regime, “which places bank interest on the rise in interest rates” and also “setting a maximum installment limit at 35% of the monthly household income”, among other measures.

At the international level, the PCP Parliamentary Group presented a draft resolution — which does not have the force of law — recommending that the next Government recognize the State of Palestine, on the pre-1967 borders and with its capital in East Jerusalem, as determined by resolutions adopted by the United Nations.

Paula Santos criticized the previous socialist majority for not taking this decision and highlighted that Portugal does not have to wait for the European Union, arguing that countries such as Spain, Malta, Slovenia and Ireland have already expressed their readiness to recognize the State of Palestine.

In health, the communists are advancing with a regime of exclusive dedication in the National Health Service (SNS), on an optional basis, with an increase of 50% of the base salary and half a point for each year of evaluation for progression purposes.

The full replacement of teachers’ service time and the granting of a mission allowance to all security forces and services are other initiatives.

In the legislative elections on the 10th, the PCP elected four deputies, 205,436 votes, two fewer parliamentarians than in the previous legislature.