[Trending News] Historical parties cannot be afraid of elections

The current political impasse created by Luís Montenegro cannot be resolved with tactical games or institutional ambiguities. The prime minister put on the table the possibility of presenting a motion of trust, but quickly retreated in his word. Given this hesitation, the PS has the responsibility to act clearly and consistently: if the government does not assume its own parliamentary survival, then the PS must present or support a motion of censorship.

The current political situation cannot be sustained by strategic tricks that only extend political instability. Francisco Assisi is right in stating that any compromise will only contribute to a political swamp, where the government survives without true parliamentary support and no leadership capacity. A government that remains in office only because opposition is afraid to clarify positions is not a strong government, but an executive hostage to its own fragility.

Democracy requires transparency and firm decisions. If the prime minister believes he is able to rule, then he must present a motion of trust and demonstrate that he still has political legitimacy. If, on the contrary, it takes refuge in the passivity and rejection of a motion of censorship of others, then the PS must assume its responsibilities as the opposition party and take the initiative.

Pedro Nuno Santos has said that the PS does not want instability, but there is a real risk in confusing stability with immobilism. Political stability cannot be built at the expense of institutional degradation, allowing a government without strength to drag itself without being able to define a new direction. A party with the history and weight of the PS cannot be complicit in this game.

More than ever, the PS should show that it is not afraid to go to elections. It is inconceivable that a party that was a fundamental pillar of Portuguese democracy may seem hesitant to the possibility of a new electoral scrutiny. A party that aspires to govern must always be ready to submit to voters' judgment, without fear or excessive calculations.

The argument that new elections may favor other parties cannot be a blocking factor. If the solution to the political crisis goes back to the polls, then the PS must face this reality. A party that shows fear of elections gives a message of weakness and lack of conviction.

In conclusion, the PS must decide: either assumes that this government is unable to continue and act accordingly, or accept that the current situation is prolonged without clarification. The worst you can do is to be in an indefinite middle ground, voting against the PCP's censorship motion, but also refusing to present its own alternative.

Democracy requires clear choices and political courage. If Luís Montenegro does not have enough confidence to present a motion of trust, then the PS must act in the name of the transparency and dignity of the institutions, supporting or presenting a motion of censorship. Politics cannot be a tactical survival game and the PS, with its historical responsibility, cannot escape its obligations.