The proposal, which was classified as "garbage" by the PCP, will be rejected in the votes on Friday. It is accused of spreading myths and lies about immigrants
Chega was left alone this Wednesday in defending its initiative to hold a referendum on immigration, with the other parties harshly criticizing the proposal, which was even classified as "rubbish" by the PCP.
The Assembly of the Republic debated the issue of immigration again today, based on the draft resolution presented by Chega so that the Portuguese people can vote in a referendum on whether they agree that parliament should define annually "a maximum limit for granting residence permits to foreign citizens" and whether they agree that "an immigration quota system, reviewed annually, guided by the country's overall economic interests and the needs of the labor market" should be implemented.
In the presentation of the initiative, which is due to be voted on Friday, MP Vanessa Barata considered that "the unsustainable increase in irregular migrant arrivals recorded in recent years justifies thinking outside the box" and giving "the floor to the people". The Chega MP argued that the current Government's policies have "large shortcomings" and that her party wants to impose quotas to "distinguish who comes for good, who is needed and who comes to undermine values".
In the first phase, no other party registered for the debate after Chega's first intervention and André Ventura even went up to the podium for the closing, but he came down again after the late registration of deputy João Almeida, from CDS-PP, which thus broke what seemed to be a kind of boycott by the other parties of Chega's occupation of the agenda.
João Almeida pointed out that "rigor is needed when citizens enter and leave", but argued that "there is a before and after this Government" when it comes to immigration policy. The intervention by the CDS - which argued that all proposals should be discussed because Parliament has already debated "absurd" proposals by the PCP and BE - ended up motivating those of the other parties.
PSD rejects " clear violation of fundamental and human rights"
For the PSD, MP Paula Cardoso pointed out that Portugal "needs immigrants" and that the current Government chose to approach this situation "with humanism", while Chega wanted to "take political advantage, make inflammatory speeches against immigrants, accusing and humiliating them". The social democrat refused to hold a referendum on fundamental rights and considered that "this referendum will not miraculously solve the problems of immigrants". As for quotas, she said that they are a " clear violation of fundamental and human rights ".
" It is not worthy of the democratic rule of law to treat people as if they were goods . [...] The solution is not to put people on a kind of Schindler's list, where it says 'if you are useful, you stay, or if you are not useful, you go'. This is the end of the line of humanism, sensitivity, moderation, reasonableness", he stressed.
PCP MP António Filipe said that the proponents deserved to be left "to themselves" and argued that this referendum proposal "has no basis in law and in the Constitution", and from a legal and human rights point of view, "it is execrable, it is rubbish". The communist also stated that the quota system that was in force in the past "was a monumental fiasco".
Socialist Isabel Moreira also argued that the proposal is unconstitutional and accused Chega of lying and of wanting to "normalize hatred", stressing that "there is no relationship between immigration and increased crime". "Thank you to everyone who chooses to live in Portugal, I apologize for always failing you", she said, arguing that Portugal needs more immigrants for the economy to grow and that foreigners "do not take jobs" from national citizens.
IL's parliamentary leader, Mariana Leitão, took the opportunity to "deconstruct myths" spread by Chega and stated that this proposal "aims to do nothing more than turn people against people".
" You can't expect anything from someone who parades with registered neo-Nazis ," said BE coordinator Mariana Mortágua.
Paulo Muacho, do Livre, acusou o Chega de "reproduzir as mentiras 'trumpistas' que ouve lá fora" e de querer "envenenar a opinião pública", sustentando que um referendo sobre esta matéria "não faz qualquer tipo de sentido, não contribui nada".
A deputada única do PAN partilhou as dúvidas sobre a constitucionalidade da proposta, que disse revelar "desconhecimento da realidade", e recusou alinhar em "show offs".
No encerramento do debate, o líder do Chega acusou os partidos de não terem "coragem para dar a palavra aos portugueses porque sabem que perderiam" e reiterou que Portugal vive uma "enorme invasão" de estrangeiros. E citou Carlos Moedas, o social-democrata que preside à Câmara de Lisboa, para defender que “o país precisa de contingentes para imigrantes”. “Era tão bom que o PSD caísse na verdadeira essência do combate da direita à imigração ilegal neste país”, disse ainda Ventura, como quem diz que Moedas já caiu nessa essência.
André Ventura devolveu também a crítica ao PCP, que apelidou de "o lixo da história desta casa, da Europa e do mundo", o que lhe valeu uma advertência por parte do presidente do parlamento.