Speech by João Oliveira, Member of the Political Committee of the Central Committee and President of the Parliamentary Group, XXth Congress of the PCP

A new phase of the political life

A new phase of the political life

Comrades,

For six years the workers and the people have developed an intense struggle against the PEC´s policies and the Pact of Aggression Pact subscribed by PS, PSD and CDS-PP and implemented by the PSD/CDS.

It was this resistant struggle, in various hard conditions and against calls for submission and conformism, which lead to the defeat of the PSD/CDS government, thus confirming the importance of the struggle and its decisive importance.

The results of the legislative elections on the 4th of October of 2015 legislative elections, the new phase in our national political life and the sense of our intervention in the current political framework cannot be separated of the struggle and of the need for its development.

It was the struggle which led to the political and social isolation of the PSD/CDS government, its electoral defeat and condemnation of its policies, determining the balance of forces in Parliament.

The decisive action of the PCP has joined the struggle of the workers and the people giving it institutional expression leading the way for the removal of the PSD /CDS from Government.

Despite being defeated and even having lost the overall majority they had, PSD and CDS prepared themselves to keep in power, supported by the national and international pressure of the big capital and with the blessing of the then President of the Republic, Cavaco Silva, who appointed them for 10 days.

Facing statements of defeat and withdrawal, bewilderment and hesitations of the PS itself, the PCP has pointed to another way, affirming that it was possible to provide political and institutional expression to the electoral defeat of the PSD/CDS Government and the condemnation of its policies, removing them from power and reflecting the will for change expressed by the Portuguese people.

The final blow on the PSD/CDS Government meant giving institutional expression to the struggle and materialise one of its key goals.

We have done so in coherence with the involvement of the PCP and its history, respecting its lifelong commitment towards the workers and the people to fight for the defence of their interests and rights.

It was this alliance between the mass struggle and institutional action which has allowed for the destructive action of the PSD/CDS to be interrupted and for the path to the reposition and the achievement of the rights to be opened, although in a limited manner caused by the many limitations of the current correlation of forces. It was this alliance between the mass struggle and the institutional action which has made immediately visible the results of the struggle, results which encouraged and provided trust in order for the struggle to continue.

On the other hand the political framework resulting from the political situation which was found confirms that this is not the PCP´s political solution. The political solution found results but is conditioned by the actual correlation of forces and by the commitments and options kept by the PS, not corresponding to the goals we fight for of a rupture with a right wing policy and the materialisation of an alternative and patriotic left wing policy.

The new phase of political life has translated into the minority PS government coming into power with its own program, incorporating elements addressing worker´s immediate and pressing problems set down in the Joint Position.

The new phase of national political life did not imply the celebration of any kind of parliamentary agreement or the constitution of a so called left-wing majority.

The PCP is not committed to the Government Program, did not dilute, it is not conditioned by any agreement of parliamentary influence and is not a government support force.

The PCP keeps its independence and autonomy and makes his decisions based on whatever it believes to better serve the interests of the workers and the people.

We not taken as ours, the policies of the PS, we have not given up our Program or the immediate goal of materialising a patriotic and left wing alternative policy we still fight for.

Comrades,

The new phase of national political life reflects all this contradictory reality in which the possibility of moving forward and the achievement of rights face limitations and constraints.

These limitations and constraints result from the commitments and options by the PS in not breaking away from right wing policies, in not facing the external constraints and conditionalities, in not facing the dominance of the monopoly capital over our national life.

At the same time, it is becoming increasingly difficult for the Government to conciliate the acceptance of internal and external impositions and constraints with a policy of restitution and achievement of rights to address the workers and the people’s problems.

What matters here it is not a question of deadlines or guessing deadlines within the current political framework. The point is the need to find an answer for the interests and aspirations of the workers and the peoples and to the problems of the country, the adoption of a policy which reverses the path to downfall and relapse forced upon by the PSD/CDS Government.

The essential issue of the current situation is not only to do all that is possible for the PSD /CDS not being back in Government but also to prevent their policies to be developed, no matter by whom, be it the PSD and CDS, be it the PS.

Facing this reality, we need to take as far as possible the advances, take as much advantage as possible from this correlation of forces achieving as much positive developments as we can for the workers and the people.

Make each and every one of these measures and achievements a sign of encouragement so that the struggle continues and develops around the answer which was still not given or for more advanced claims.

Move from each achievement aiming to develop the struggle with the objective of creating conditions for a new correlation of forces which is even more beneficial for the workers and the people, with the reinforcement of the political, social and electoral influence of the PCP.

Comrades,

We know that for the continuity of the struggle is not indifferent to keep or maintain the PSD/CDS government.

As it has already been said in this Congress, we do not share the opinion that the worst the better, because we know that if the people is under the worst conditions their struggle will not be better and neither are the conditions that allow them to reach their goals.

We know that the workers also need to results of the struggle they fight for and that there are necessary for the development of the struggle.
That does not mean that we should be happy with the current situation.

History and our experience prove that no possibility becomes automatically an achievement, doing without the intervention of the workers and the masses in its materialisation.

Therefore, our Party is faced with increased demands for political initiatives, for action and intervention side by side with the workers and the people, for clarification and strengthening of the results achieved, for mobilization for the struggle to be developed in such a way that no opportunity for the reposition of the rights and achievement of rights is wasted.

It urges that, facing the inadequacy or limitation of the measures adopted, our action and struggle is boosted and grows from the results obtained with the view to expand and take further the solution to the problems.

Our action urges in order to counter the attacks and expectations. Affirming each restitution or new achievement of rights as a result of the struggle and not as some gift from the Government or from Parliament.

For years, we have heard the parrots of the capital announcing the death of our Party or setting it as a sideline party, swimming against the tide, worthless and that its actions were not worthy of anything.

For years, they have repeated the false idea of the elections for Prime-Minister, the speech of inevitabilities and lack of alternatives, dismissing our struggle saying that it served for nothing and was inconsequent.

Many of these, have only found out a year ago that the elections are to elect members of parliament after all and that every Member of Parliament from the PCP, from CDU counts to defend the interests of the workers and the people.

Others, on the 10th November 2015, at the doorstep of the Parliament, facing the defeat of the PSD/CDS government found out that our struggle counts after all and that i tis worth fighting.

To all of these, we want to say that we´ll keep on fighting for a socialist society, quoting Alvaro Cunhal´s words “It is ours the deep conviction that the cause we fight for is fair, exciting and invincible””!

Long Live the struggle of the workers!
Long Live the Portuguese Communist Youth!
Long Live the Portuguese Communist Party!

  • Intervenção
  • XX Congresso do PCP
Intervenção
XX Congresso do PCP