Olhão, Portugal, Aug. 17, 2026 (Lusa) - The Secretary-General of the Socialist Party (PS) said on Sunday that the government bore primary responsibility for political stability and must present a «competent budget», challenging the prime minister to state whether they are open to a constitutional review with the PS.
In his speech marking the PS's return to political activity, delivered at a public festival in Olhão, in the district of Faro, José Luís Carneiro put several questions to the prime minister, Luís Montenegro, one of which concerned the announcement that the state was acquiring a 13.7% stake in REN, asking «what the source of funding is and what the purchase price is».
«The primary responsibility for building political stability in our country lies with the government, which must present a sound [state] budget that serves the interests of our country,» he argued.
For the PS leader, «the main party responsible for the instability, unpredictability and insecurity has been the AD government», arguing that the Socialists have contributed to «the stability and development of the country» since «with every criticism» they also put forward proposals.
«There is a duty that falls solely to the government, and that duty is to present a draft budget that is sound, and that addresses people's problems, that addresses people's lives. That is the government's responsibility. The Socialist Party has a distinct role,» he stated.
In addition to budgetary issues, according to Carneiro, «there are aspects that are vital» to the PS, foremost among them «constitutional values».
«This is a guarantee that Luís Montenegro must say publicly: whether he is willing, together with the PS, and the two parties as the founders of Portuguese democracy, to ensure and contribute to a constitutional review that safeguards the fundamental values and principles of our Constitution,» he challenged.
Regarding the forthcoming state budget, the Socialist leader stated that he would propose that «co-operatives should have access to national and European funding» so that they «can continue to fulfil the roles they have played in the past» and, together with local authorities, «quickly address these housing needs».
«We will once again, in the state budget, propose a measure that we put forward last year, namely to say that we will grant capital gains tax exemption to those selling properties intended for permanent residence,» he added.
Carneiro also emphasised that the PS «will always stand for the security of pensions and will always protect them from private interests, under any circumstances – whether overt or covert».
«We will be here to defend the security of current pensions and to ensure the security of future pensions for the Portuguese people,» he pledged.
The Socialist Secretary-General also wants local authorities and social welfare organisations to be assured that «the funding conditions set out in the Recovery and Resilience Plan are now guaranteed through other sources of funding».
«In order to carry out the planned and ongoing investments in so many local authorities across the country, in schools, health centres, hospitals and facilities designed to combat poverty and inequality and to protect the most vulnerable,» he emphasised.
On Friday, during his speech at the Festa do Pontal, in Quarteira, in the municipality of Loulé, Faro, Luís Montenegro stated that the «Portuguese State had reached an agreement with a Spanish group to acquire 13.7% of REN», an investment that forms part of the sovereign wealth fund «which is currently being set up» and which is part of a policy to lay «the foundations for a more competitive and productive economy».
The following day, the PS asked the government how and with what resources it had acquired a 13.7% stake in Redes Energéticas Nacionais (REN) at a time when it is facing challenges in health, education and social services.
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