Pedro Nuno Santos announces internal elections on the PS and says it will not be recalled

The secretary general of the socialists has reacted to the electoral results on Sunday, which show a significant loss of votes in the PS, under the leadership of Pedro Nuno Santos, who despite this was received with a applause of several minutes.

Pedro Nuno Santos began the speech for taking over: « These are hard and difficult times to the left and the Socialist Party. It was a cheerful, enthusiastic campaign, with the participation of a party united to support me. I wanted to thank all the Portuguese who trusted the PS. »

The leader of the PS added: « We did not provoke these elections but we wanted to overcome them. The Portuguese people spoke clearly and we respect the Portuguese people. »

With a heavy countenance, Pedro Nuno Santos said he had already called Luis Montenegro to congratulate him. However, he stressed: « It is not for me to be the support of this government and I think this role does not fit the socialist party either. »

And said the reasons are short. « The short reasons are. Point No. 1, Luís Montenegro is not suitable for the position of PM and the elections have not changed this reality, point No. 2, leads a government that failed several areas in the last year and, point No. 3, has a program that goes against PS values. »

« The far right has grown a lot, became more violent, more aggressive and more lying. And we feel it during the campaign. The far right should be fought without compliance, » he added, receiving several applause from the militants in the room.

The answer was followed by the question that many of the Portuguese would have been asking since the first projections are released.

« Next Saturday I will call internal elections to which I will not be a candidate. » Supporters are caught by surprise and scream « no! ». « As Mario Soares said, ‘I just give up who stops fighting’ and I won’t stop fighting. Thanks to everyone. »

Room is filled with long applause and screams with support: « Ps! Ps! Ps! ». “I must not be a hindrance in the decisions that PS make,” said Pedro Nuno Santos.

The still leader of the PS considers that « the parties that caused the instability were awarded, » appointing AD, who according to his own, « threw the country to elections because he felt tight. »

He added, « We did our best. We reported what was bad in governance, we presented our program in the campaign and it wasn’t enough. »

Asked about the moment of his departure, he replied: « I stop being secretary general from the moment I can .. if you can be already … ». He added, « I must not be a hindrance to the decisions that the PS make. »

Regarding the Spinumviva case inquiry committee, Pedro Nuno Santos said that the reasons that led the PS to propose an inquiry committee remain “untouchable”.

Final statement that was received with the applause of the room.