Olhão, Portugal, Aug. 17, 2026 (Lusa) - The Socialist Party leader said on Sunday that the prime minister's speech focused on «self-justification and criticism» of journalists, arguing that «the emperor really has no clothes» and that the government could improve its responses to crises.
«On Friday, Luís Montenegro chose to deliver a speech characterised by self-justification and criticism of those who scrutinise his government. To journalists, I wish to say and remind you that this is not the first time, because as far back as 2025 one of the targets of the AD's criticism at its rally in Pontal was precisely free, pluralistic and independent journalism, which holds the government to account and says the quality of democratic life is good», criticised José Luís Carneiro at the PS's rally in Olhão, in the district of Faro.
The PS leader considered that, regarding «the alleged achievement of which Luís Montenegro claims to be proud», «someone needs to tell the prime minister that the emperor really has no clothes».
«Firstly, because the government and the prime minister have so far failed to demonstrate any ability to react, to respond effectively, sensitively and competently to the crises that have ravaged the country and which have jeopardised people's safety and called into question the predictability of the state's response capacity,» he criticised.
Carneiro expressed hope that the country would find a «strategic direction» and, throughout his speech, which lasted around 40 minutes, highlighted opportunities for improvement in various areas, emphasising that Luís Montenegro's government could raise its performance and fulfil the promises it had made.
«What is happening in the key areas of the Internal Security System demands the highest sense of diplomacy from the prime minister, and the prime minister must take responsibility for strengthening trust in the institutions that are essential for safeguarding the democratic rule of law,» he warned.
The issue of education and the recent controversy over exams was not left out of the speech, with the government being accused of having «dismantled fundamental structures within the Ministry of Education», which had consequences for the digitisation of exams.
«And indeed, there was this unpredictability, this uncertainty, which affected families and young people at one of the decisive moments in our collective life (…) and that is why it is incomprehensible that the prime minister, in a 47-minute speech, did not set aside five minutes to apologise to the Portuguese people, did not have the democratic humility to say that things did not go as the government had hoped», he said.
Carneiro also recalled Montenegro's statements on Friday regarding TAP and noted «a certain irony» in the fact that the prime minister had shown «a certain satisfaction with the results that will apparently stem from the privatisation of part of TAP's capital» after having been «against the state assuming responsibility» during the pandemic.
«But there is a question I would also like to put to Luís Montenegro from the strategic perspective of our economy. As an advocate of the Sovereign Wealth Fund, he can explain to the Portuguese people that, on a matter as sensitive as national energy sovereignty, he can clarify his stance on the guarantees surrounding Moeve's deal with Galp and the assurance that Portugal will continue to play a decisive role in what is the country's only refinery, responsible for 90% of our nation's fuel supply,» he challenged.
On Friday, at the PSD's return to political activity at the Festa do Pontal, also in the Algarve, the prime minister and PSD leader, Luís Montenegro, criticised «a kind of modern censorship» in which people are only aware of controversies and incidents, whilst the most important matters remain «hidden in footnotes», defending Portugal «with pride in itself».
JF/ADB // ADB.
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