Five of October, the Establishment of the Portuguese Republic: three messages from the President
The President has warned against an euphoria in ephemeral moments, and called for political parties to be "the bigger person" and reach political consensus.
The President Marcelo Rebelo de Sousa, in the speech for the October 5th Establishment of the Portuguese Republic Day ceremonies, left some important messages to all Portuguese parties.
The President of the Portuguese Republic left his first message to the democracy “protagonists”, to whom he made compliments, but recalled that just like bad moments, good moments are also ephemeral.
"The Portuguese Republic is a political democracy with protagonists which are able to point to the medium and long term results, knowing that there are no eternal successes not definite setbacks. ”
Security, speed, financial and economic stability and budgetary balance of the public services: these were the priorities pinpointed by Marcelo. In order for them to be met, the President asks for convergences on what is truly important, but “healthy divergences” on what is not essential. He also asked all parties to be “the bigger person” and be able to reach political consensus.
"We should do everything to assure the Portuguese know that their lives are secured; that the financial and economic crisis will not return; that education, health and social security will thrive; that they have several paths to chose from, knowing there is a governance alternative that is always better than having ambiguities that just reinforce anti-system radicalisms. And yet, I hope those with social and political responsibilities are able to be the bigger person and meet halfway on what is truly important, keeping upfront and healthy divergences on what is not.”
Lastly, he makes another request: that the opposition parties exercise “civil humbleness” and acknowledge the Government’s successes as well as their own failures. Without arrogance, nor “fears or inhibitions”.
"If we show enough courage to emphasize what went well or very well – even if that seems to favor others instead of our own party -, and if we also show courage to acknowledge what went wrong or really wrong – even if that comes across as an intolerable acknowledgement of one’s weakness -, the October fifth holiday will continue to be worth while, the democratic Republic will be more than an historical conquest or a set of articles in a Constitution. I believe we are capable of exercising this civic humbleness or acknowledging the success of others bereft of arrogance, and of confessing our weaknesses without fears or inhibitions. We must be capable of acknowledging that, in the future, we will have to be equally persistent in what we did right and radically different in what we did wrong, what was insufficient or what we didn’t do.”
