Campaign discords do not correspond to divergences in programs

Despite the public debate between the socialist and AD leaders, the truth is that looking at the programs, there are not so many differences between what the two main candidates propose to form government. The essential difference lies in the economic program, where the two want to download taxes, but differ in the form and expectation of results. While socialists bet on a tax reduction that passes through VAT Zero to the Kabbish of essential food products and the reduction of the electricity invoice also through the reduction of VAT rate to 6%; AD maintains the bet on reducing IRS and IRC. The big difference of the two options, according to the programs presented, is that the socialists intend to alleviate families’ income and AD expects virtuous growth in the economy by decreasing taxes on work and companies. Socialists account for tax reduction such as increased expense and AD as a way to the growth of the economy.

It is this divergence in the way of looking at the fiscal reduction that is the source of the differences between the two political forces when they make economic predictions, while the socialists, in line with Banco de Portugal and the Public Finance Council, foresee the return of the deficit already for 2026, the ad_gantry that this scenario will not occur.

Social areas with similar proposals

It is regarding income that the two programs are practically decaled. The PS wants to increase the minimum wage to 1110 € by 2029, AD fails for 10 € and provides an increase of 1100 € for the same date. The coincidence is total in the objective of reaching € 2000 average salary at the end of the legislature.

In housing, one of the main problems that the country faces, despite some differences, essentially the two agree to increase public housing at controlled costs with European funds, the reduction of VAT_da_da construction to 6%. In this chapter, as in other areas the great difference between socialists and social democrats is the participation of private in solving the problem.

In the immigration chapter there are practically no differences, including in the PS program the main measures that the AD government has already been running. There is a point, however, that it continues to divide them, which is the recovery of a unit of foreigners and borders, which replaces the void left by the extinction of SEF, in the government of António Costa. Socialists emphasize the importance of immigrant documentation «The promotion of regular, secure and ordained migrations indispensable»but refrains from indicating security measures for border entry control. Also with regard to Social Security, an area in which the need for reform is urgent, PS and AD_ no major differences in what they propose to the country. The reinforcement of the Social Security Financial Stabilization Fund (FEFSS) is considered by both a priority but neither risks proposing a way to get there. The accusation that ad_terá on the agenda the privatization of the system is not echoed in the program presented. In this regard it is worth remembering that before leaving functions the socialists left a green book for the Social Security reform, a document that Minister Maria do Rosário Palma Leal delivered au study group that was responsible for proposing solutions. With the fall of the government, the process was suspended, waiting to know who will be the next tenants in São Bento.

Education and health the greatest differences

Health is the largest weak point of Luís Montenegro’s governance. In the last campaign the Prime Minister multiplied in promises that were not fulfilled. Ana Paula Martins was unable to meet any of the goals of the various plans presented and gathered a series of controversial layoffs and failed choices. Fernando Araújo, the first executive director of the newly created NHS was the first resignation and is now chosen by Pedro Nuno Santos to protect the area if he reaches the government. In the Socialist Health Program, there are measures advocated by Fernando Araújo to organize the NHS, the AD program includes the use of the private and social sector, as the main solution to resolve the crisis in the system.

Already in education, where things went much better, although the problem of lack of teachers is far from being resolved, the proposals of the two parties converge on the use of the private sector to find the fault vacancies in preschool and also converge on the ban on the use of mobile phone in schools up to 12 years. It is in ideological issues that the two forces are most divided into education, with the Socialist Party returning to the cargo with the need to reinforce the discipline of citizenship, namely with the replacement of controversial manuals that the current executive removed from the discipline program. Contrary to what happened a year ago, the career of teachers occupies a secondary place in the proposals.