Margarida Balseiro Lopes, Minister of Youth and Modernization and vice-president of PSD, was the guest speaker at today’s dinner conference at PSD’s Summer University, a political training initiative for young people.
On the day Prime Minister Luís Montenegro announced that the Government would propose the former Finance Minister for European Commissioner, the former JSD leader ended her speech with a reference to the day’s topic after being repeatedly questioned about the role of women in society.
“I wouldn’t feel right with my conscience if I didn’t take the opportunity to talk about an extraordinary woman. Maria Luís Albuquerque is a person I know well, she’s a woman, a very competent, dedicated, and hardworking woman. She had the difficult task of getting us out of the ‘troika’, we should be grateful that we can count on her availability for this public service,” she said, stating she was “very proud, as a woman and not only.”
In her initial speech, the minister reviewed some of the measures already announced by the Government in the Youth area and left a challenge to the opposition parties about another one she hopes will come into effect on January 1 next year: the executive’s intention to lower the income tax for young people up to 35 years old by a third, up to a maximum of 15%.
“At this moment, it’s up to the Assembly of the Republic and the opposition parties to decide. And there are questions that need to be asked: does the country want to retain young Portuguese people in Portugal? (…) The Government wants them to stay here, we need to know if the other parties do too,” she said.
The Social Democratic vice-president sought to counter the view that this measure is only for the wealthier youth.
“A young person earning a thousand euros gross per month will save 941 euros per year. A young person earning 1,500 euros per month will save 2,000 euros at the end of the year. Ask these young people if this doesn’t make a difference in their lives,” she said.
Margarida Balseiro Lopes also took the opportunity to provide updated numbers on another of the executive’s measures for the youngest: the exemption, since August 1, of taxes on the purchase of the first home.
“In 27 days of this measure, we managed to reach almost 500 young people in Portugal, 458 young people to be more precise,” she stated.
The former JSD leader emphasized that she has participated in all editions of the Social Democrats’ Summer University since 2006 – first as a student at 16 years old – and was introduced by the initiative’s director, former MEP Carlos Coelho, as “one of the rising stars” of PSD.
Despite saying she didn’t want to talk much about the past, the minister considered that public policies in recent years “ended up pushing the most qualified generation ever out of the country.”
In addition to housing measures, Balseiro Lopes highlighted among the Government’s priorities the increase in student accommodation and announced that next week, the protocol approved in May by the Council of Ministers will be signed, which will make 709 beds available in Youth Hostels and INATEL facilities.
“What I’ve just shared with you are not announcements, not PowerPoints, not intentions. These are decisions that are already having a real impact on people’s lives,” she emphasized.
