José Coelho / Lusa
Marques Mendes presents candidacy for the Presidency of the Republic
In the presentation of his candidacy for the Presidency of the Republic, 6 commitments were announced for the country and messages to Gouveia and Melo: “It’s not time for gunfire in the dark.”
Louis Mendes Marks It is officially Candidate for the Presidency of the Republic.
The candidacy was presented on Thursday in Fafe (district of Braga), the land where he grew up and began his political life, in the auditorium of a home with the name of his father, António Marques Mendes, with capacity for about 200 people – But many standing people.
The candidate argued that the position of Head of State should be held by those who have political experience, warning that times do not recommend “adventures, experimentalism or gunfire in the dark.”
Marques Mendes-who has been a deputy, mayor, minister of four governments and leader of the PSD-made a point of highlighting his political experience as an asset to the position of President of the Republic.
“The position of President of the Republic is an eminently political position. Therefore, it must be exercised by those who have political experience. There is no presidency without politics”He said, considering that in the presidential of January 2026″ the point is what kind of policy should guide the presidency. “
The former parliamentary leader considered that, in times of world and national uncertainty, “with a more polarized parliament, divided and fragmented than ever,” two conditions are required from the head of state.
“The time we live in neither accepts politics without principles nor recommends politics without experience. It’s not time for adventures, experimentalisms or shots in the dark“He said, at a time when all polls put Admiral Henrique in front Gouveia and Meloformer Chief of Staff of the Armada, who never held any political office.
PSD card and 6 commitments
Marques Mendes has announced that he handed his PSD militant card as a sign of commitment to “an exemption magistracy” and requested more ethical mechanisms in parties and parliament.
Luís Marques Mendes performed with six commitments to the country, being the first of “UNIT PORTUGAL” and the second with ethics.
“I want to be president of all Portuguese. Those of the interior and coast, the continent, the autonomous regions and the diaspora. Those who vote for me or those who choose other applications. All are Portuguese, all deserve me the same respect and everyone should be treated equally. So too, today, I delivered my PSD militant card”He announced.
The former social democratic leader between 2005 and 2007 justified the gesture “not by denying origins and convictions”: “I will never do. But, to a symbolic act, reaffirm my commitment to a magistrate of exemption, independence e impartiality”, these.
The current President of the Republic, Marcelo Rebelo de Sousa, suspended the PSD militancy on March 9, 2016, when he was elected for the first term.
Secondly, the candidate referred to his commitment to political ethics, recalling his decision, in the municipalities of 2005, “removes some mayors” from the PSD “in the name of ethics and credibility”, in an allusion to cases of Isaltino Morais and Valentim Laurel.
“It sounds like a banal gesture, but the truth is that no one had done it before and no one did it later. Today, 20 years later, we need to go much further, ”he defended,
In particular, the candidate said it was necessary to “reevaluate the electoral laws, altering the method of choice of deputies”, “reviewing the functioning of parties, so that they create organs of ethical nature, similar to what they already have in disciplinary plans and financial ”and that the parliament“ has instruments to suspend deputies who have deviant, shocking and ethically censurable behaviors ”.
“It is necessary to be more careful, much more care and requirement in the choice of public office holders, whether executive directors, managers or political guardians. Political degradation and lack of decency that has been living in Portugal for years is not acceptable. Let us be clear: the elections legitimize a politician, but do not dispense with ethics. On the contrary, they reinforce their requirement, ”he said, recalling the phrase of PSD founder Francisco Sá Carneiro that“ politics without ethics is a shame ”.
The presidential candidate argued that “it is not enough to talk about ethics.”
“We need to apply it. The President of the Republic does not make laws, but has to intervene to make this democratic pedagogy. It is essential to reverse the degradation that affects our democracy, it is really mandatory, ”he said.
Marques Mendes summed up his candidacy as “ values ”, Like those of freedom, democracy, truth, but also “cooperation with parliament, government and opposition parties, in defense of great constitutional values”, and “proximity to civil society and its institutions”.
On the other hand, he pointed to his as a candidacy oriented by challenges, like that of hope, leaving a word to young people, or that of ambition.
“Portugal is not in the EU a small or irrelevant country. We are a medium country. And there are smaller countries than us who are great examples of success. THE ambition It has to be one of our great challenges, ”he reiterated.
Lastly, the challenge of security, which said it should be built “around the social state.”
“There are transformations to make in society. But never at the expense of social state, social benefits, pensioners and retired, education or public health. It takes balance and social sensitivity, ”he said.
Former Ministers and PS
The former PSD ministers Miguel Macedo e Silva Peneda Attended the presentation session of the presidential candidacy of Marques Mendes, who arrived in Fafe accompanied by his wife.
Luís Marques Mendes was received with applause and, to journalists, justified the choice of the place for the affective connection.
In addition to Miguel Macedo e Silva Peneda, the former mayor and MEPOPETTA Álvaro Amaro, the leader of the Vila Real PSD district and mayor of Boticas, Fernando Queiroga, the president of the Fafe PSD council, Rui Novais, and the mayor of Braga, Ricardo Rio.
Also her sister, Clara Marques Mendes, current secretary of state of social action and inclusion, was present in Fafe, where Marques Mendes grew up and began her political life.
To journalists, Miguel Macedo said that this candidacy of Marques Mendes is “evidently an act of his own will.”
Considering that Marques Mendes did well to apply for the Presidency of the Republic, the former minister said that he has all the possibilities to be elected.
In his opinion, to take office it takes a lot of political experience, especially in a period when there is in Portugal, as in many countries in Europe, a huge fragmentation of the parliamentary spectrum.
Marques Mendes had already told Lusa not having made invitations to anyone, With the exception of the Mayor of Fafe, the socialist Antero Barbosabeing for future sessions the presence of national PSD figures.
Antero Barbosa stated that Portugal needs a person with the profile and values of Luís Marques Mendes in the presidency of the Republic.
“I consider that Portugal needs in the presidency of the Republic of a person with his profile, with his high experience, his broad knowledge of political life and with proofs of full dedication to the causes of freedom and democracy,” said the socialist .
Antero Barbosa, despite being from PSsaid that Marques Mendes can count on his support and Fafe’s. “And I hope you can count on Portugal and the Portuguese for their election,” he said.
