The Central Committee of the PCP, meeting on May 20, analysed the political framework resulting from the legislative elections of May 18, as well as the national and international situation, and pointed out the PCP's main lines of intervention in the coming months.

I - The election results, the political framework and the national situation

1. The composition of the Assembly of the Republic resulting from the elections of May 18, saw a negative evolution, marked by the growth of AD (PSD and CDS), Chega and IL.

The CDU's result, with 180,943 votes, 3.03 per cent and three MPs, marks resistance in a particularly demanding context and portrays neither the expression of support and recognition that the campaign showed, nor what the country's situation demanded: a strengthened CDU to respond to the problems and to confront reactionary forces and projects.

A result that has had to contend with factors, both objective and subjective, that weigh negatively on the social and political awareness of large sections of the population, subject to the promotion of retrograde and reactionary conceptions, the imposition by the dominant means of ideological dissemination of the exacerbation of individualism and social egoism, the systematic and insidious promotion of prejudices, especially anti-communist prejudices, the trivialisation of demagoguery and the uncritical acceptance of behaviour that affronts ethics and democracy. A result that is also inseparable from the recurrent falsification and belittling of the CDU and the systematic concealment of the alternative policy, seeking to curtail a way out from right-wing policy.

In this election campaign, in this fight for everything that matters in the lives of the workers, the people, the youth and the Country, the CDU asserted itself as a force of courage, seriousness and trust. The Central Committee of the PCP salutes the Ecologist Party “The Greens” and the Intervenção Democrática Association, the members of the Party and the JCP, the ecologists and other democrats and patriots who make up the CDU.

The result obtained by the AD was achieved by instrumentalising the idea of “government stability”, despite a policy that every day promotes instability in the lives of the workers and people, the use and abuse of illegitimate acts given the situation of a caretaker government, the use of the State apparatus or the fostering of victimisation.

The result of Chega is inseparable from the actions of capital at the service of promoting a reactionary and anti-democratic framework of values, favouring forces that feed demagoguery, lies, manipulation and hate, with the mobilisation of financial, media and other means, which was vastly clear in this campaign.

The result of PS, with a significant electoral drop, is inseparable from the absence of a path and solutions that are distinctive from those of the AD, the adherence to the actions of the PSD/CDS government and the admission of making viable a future AD government.

The results of these elections, particularly the growth of reactionary forces and the social and political risks they entail, are inseparable from the right-wing policy of successive PS, PSD and CDS governments.

The institutional framework resulting from these elections, with a PSD, CDS, Chega and IL majority representing more than two thirds of the MPs in the Assembly of the Republic, regardless of the arrangements between these forces, holds the danger of intensifying the retrograde, neoliberal and anti-social agenda and the attack on rights, democratic freedoms and the Constitution of the Portuguese Republic.

In view of these election results, is not the time to conform or agree with the right-wing and its reactionary, retrograde and anti-democratic conceptions, or to support its anti-popular policies.

This is the time to fight the policy of low wages and pensions, attacks on workers' rights and public services, denial of the right to housing, privatisations and horse trading, more injustice and favours for capital, national submission and the arms race.

This is the time to affirm the rupture and the alternative that the PCP and the CDU represent, not the time to water them down, which would open up even more space for anti-democratic forces.

The situation highlights even more the decisive role of the workers' and people's struggle, the need for joint action by democrats and patriots, the importance of the CDU and its MPs in confronting the right-wing policy and the government that implements it, in confronting reactionary projects.

2. Neither the legislative elections nor their outcome erases the problems of national reality. Life hasn't stopped in these months, and the election campaign itself has been spanned by multiple aspects that confirm this. There was the decision by the PSD/CDS government and the PS to bind the Country to the escalation of arms, using the safeguard clause of the Stability Pact with the European Union to promote war, the Country's indebtedness and the diversion of the resources it needs in the name of arms manufacturers' profits. It was the ‘blackout’, which exposed a wrong path, national vulnerabilities, a lack of planning and the submission of a sector so strategic like energy to the interests of economic groups. It was the government's choice to prevent the implementation of the agreement between the railway unions and CP, which the government helped to draw up, denying the right to collective bargaining and threatening the Strike Legislation. It was the favouring of mafias and trafficking in human beings, with the instrumentalization made by the government and reactionary forces of immigration data.

The truth is that the Country is facing a brutal concentration of wealth, in contrast to low wages and pensions. The domination of strategic sectors by economic groups and multinationals and the Country's dependence are deepening, structural deficits in production, energy, technology and demographics are rising. They want to impose an economic model based on low wages and low value-added sectors. The attack on workers' individual and collective rights continues. We are witnessing an erosion of public services, particularly the attack on the National Health Service and Public Schools. Housing prices continue to rise fuelling speculation and the profits of banks and real estate funds. Injustice, social inequalities, poverty and the emigration of thousands of workers, especially young people, are hallmarks of Portuguese society. Lies, hate, racism and war are being promoted. Ideological manipulation and the degradation of democratic life are rising in confrontation with the values of April and the Constitution.

In addition to these and other problems, there are new threats to respond to, such as privatisations, the onslaught on Social Security resources, attacks on labour legislation and the arms race.

3. In view of national and international developments, the struggle for a break with right-wing policy, the affirmation of a patriotic, left-wing political alternative and the defence of the democratic regime are increasingly necessary.

An alternative policy that holds the answers to the problems of the workers, the people and the Country. A policy that confronts the interests and growing dominance of big capital over national life; that refuses to submit to the EU, NATO and US imperialism; that affirms national sovereignty and independence; that fulfils the Constitution of the Republic, and the April values it enshrines.

The seriousness of the problems facing the Country, the projects of the right-wing and reactionary forces, will require courage, determination, struggle and political initiative.

II - International situation

1. Imperialism, particularly US imperialism, with its highly reactionary agenda, is seeking to bolster decisions, pressures and blackmail in order to impose its interests and domination on the world in the foreign field.

To this end, the US is announcing a significant increase in its military spending and is promoting the arms race, with the support of the other imperialist powers, NATO and the EU

The insistence of the European imperialist powers and EU bodies on confrontation and war, the diversion of increasing resources to arms and the exacerbation of warmongering propaganda represent a serious threat to the peoples.

2. The increase in tariffs by the US is a premeditated action of economic coercion on the world, through which US imperialism seeks to achieve economic, political and military advantages.

Valuing the firm stance of several countries in defence of their legitimate interests, as well as their convergence in rejecting the unacceptable pressure from the US, the Central Committee of the PCP stresses the need for a policy by Portugal which, within a framework of cooperation with other countries, places the defence of the interests of the workers, the people and the Country, national sovereignty and independence at the centre of its action.

3. The tragic situation in Palestine, particularly in the Gaza Strip, makes it urgent to firmly condemn Israel's criminal genocidal policy. Warning of the brutal increase of Israeli aggression against the population in the Gaza Strip, on whom it imposes a cruel and inhumane blockade, and denouncing the shameful and hypocritical indifference, complicity and support by the US and the EU in the face of Israel's heinous crimes, the Central Committee of the PCP calls for continued solidarity with the heroic struggle of the Palestinian people for their inalienable national rights, enshrined in numerous UN resolutions.

4. After 11 years of war in Ukraine, reality continues to prove the need for a process of dialogue with a view to a political solution to the conflict, a response to the problems of collective security and disarmament in Europe and compliance with the principles of the UN Charter and the Final Act of the Helsinki Conference.

The direct dialogue between Russia and Ukraine, which restarted in Istanbul, is a major step that should effectively contribute to advancing a process of negotiations that responds to the causes of the conflict, paving the way for a just and lasting peace in Europe.

In this sense, the US, NATO and the EU must put an end to manoeuvres aimed at prolonging the war and obstructing a political solution to the conflict.

5. In view of the announced warmongering aims of the NATO summit to be held on June 24 and 25, in The Hague, the Central Committee of the PCP reaffirms the importance of developing the struggle for peace, against the militarisation of the EU, for the dissolution of NATO and in favour of a system of collective security, with a view to creating an international order capable of ensuring peace and justice in relations between peoples.

6. Welcoming the commemorations of the 80th. anniversary of the Victory over Nazi-fascism in World War II, to which the contribution of the USSR, the Soviet people and the Red Army was decisive, without forgetting the role of the allies and the anti-fascist resistance, the Central Committee of the PCP calls for the defence of peace, democracy and truth, rejecting the rewriting and falsification of History, the whitewashing of fascism and the promotion of militarism and war.

Calling for a fight against reactionary and fascist conceptions and anti-communism, the Central Committee of the PCP warns of attempts in various countries to ban the hammer and sickle and other communist symbols, to criminalise the dissemination of and support for the communist project and ideal, which are not only an attack on communists but also on other democrats and on democracy itself.

7. The Central Committee of the PCP stresses the importance of the action of the peace movement and internationalist solidarity, namely the solidarity campaign “For Cuba! End the Blockade!”.

8. As we celebrate the 50th. anniversary of the Vietnamese people's victory over US imperialist aggression, the example of their heroic and persistent struggle proves that, however powerful it may seem, imperialism's attempts can be defeated, giving confidence to the struggle of workers and peoples for peace, democracy and socialism.

Faced with the serious threat posed by imperialism's strategy of confrontation and aggression, the Central Committee of the PCP considers the convergence of peoples and countries in defence of their rights and sovereignty to be of the utmost importance and reaffirms that the PCP will remain committed to strengthening a broad anti-imperialist front.

III - Resistance, Response and Initiative

1. The Central Committee of the PCP salutes the organisations and militants of the Party and the JCP for their work, militancy and determination, particularly in the struggles, and in the elections to the Assembly of the Republic and the Regional Legislative Assembly of Madeira, which are an essential element of the intervention, capacity for resistance and affirmation of the Party and its objectives.

2. The current national and international situation places clear responsibilities and demands on the Party, which will continue to fulfil its role.

Resisting and taking the initiative, mobilising the workers and the people, strengthening its unitary mass organisations, developing action with other democrats and patriots, affirming the CDU in the local elections, intervening in the elections for President of the Republic, strengthening the Party, are all particularly important aspects.

3. The Central Committee of the PCP stresses that the situation that has arisen calls for a strengthening of the intervention, mobilisation and struggle of the workers and the people, in defence of their wages and rights.

The CC welcomes and highlights in particular the popular commemorations of the 51st. anniversary of the April Revolution – for what they mean in the powerful affirmation of its values – and the day of struggle on May Day with initiatives in 34 locations across the country, called by the CGTP-IN. It also welcomes the struggles in companies and sectors such as the food industry, textiles, automobiles, electrical equipment, museums and monuments, large retail, central and local public administration, transport, communications, glassworkers and nurses, as well as the convergence actions, such as the young workers' demonstration or the demonstrations in Lisbon, Porto and Coimbra on April 5 under the slogan “More wages and better pensions”.

The development of the claims struggle for the rights of workers and various sectors of the population is essential for the defence of rights and the improvement of living conditions, and a fundamental factor of resistance, progress and social transformation.

4. The development of the work to prepare for the Local Administration elections assumes a special priority, with the affirmation of the CDU and its project, in particular the national action scheduled from May 31 to June 7, the construction of candidate slates for all the municipal bodies and the largest number of parishes, the rendering of accounts, the discussion of electoral commitments, as well as the broadening and involvement in its dynamic intervention to give expression to this dimension of a unitary and popular front.

5. Developments regarding the elections for President of the Republic, which will be held at the beginning of 2026, are drawing increasing attention and confirm the importance of the PCP's own intervention in the way it views and defends the exercise of the functions of the President of the Republic and in order to contribute to ensuring respect for and compliance with the Constitution of the Republic by this body of sovereignty. An intervention that will not fail to contrast and combat reactionary and anti-democratic candidates and projects and to affirm the values of April.

6. The Central Committee of the PCP points out the need to take the initiative right away at various levels, namely:

The holding of meetings of bodies and plenary sessions to discuss the situation, boost and plan intervention and other initiatives, of which the rallies scheduled for the 22nd., 23rd. and 24th. in the districts of Lisbon, Porto and Setúbal stand out, as well as the tribute to Catarina Eufémia on May 25, in Baleizão.

The tabling of proposals by the Parliamentary Group as soon as the Assembly of the Republic takes office, centred on priority aspects of the rights and living conditions of workers and the population.

The boosting of the national action “Increase wages and pensions for a better life!”, promoting a day of broadening contacts in companies, workplaces and on the streets, boosting the collection of signatures and delivering them to the government.

Expanding the action for Peace, against the arms race and for internationalist solidarity with the people of Palestine and Cuba.

Working with other democrats and patriots in defence of freedom and democracy, against reactionary forces and projects and for the implementation of the rights enshrined in the Constitution, the importance of which the current situation reinforces.

7. The Central Committee stresses the importance of preparing the Avante! Festival, which will take place on September 5, 6 and 7, ensuring that work is done to make it a success, particularly the promotion and sale of the EP Entry Pass.

8. The Central Committee emphasises the importance of developing the general movement to strengthen leadership and structure at various levels, in conjunction with attributing responsibility to cadres, political and ideological preparation, militancy, recruitment, the means of propaganda, the press and financial independence.

It is important to take new steps in the general attribution of responsibilities to cadres, from a perspective of regular tasks and responsibilities, but also for the immediate response, to pay particular attention to the organised recruitment of new militants and their integration, bringing many of those who stood out in the struggles, election battles and political intervention into the Party, and to promote the creation, strengthening and dynamization of bodies.

The preparation of the 13th. JCP Congress, to be held on November 15 and 16 under the motto “In our hands, a new world. Organise, unite, fight”, which is an important event for the affirmation of the JCP and for the struggle of the youth. Supporting its success, as well as the development of intervention among the youth, is a task of great significance in the general work of the Party.

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The PCP, honouring its 104-year history of intervention and struggle on behalf of the workers, the people and the Country, in a context of greater responsibilities and demands, will be up to the task by intervening, resisting and taking the initiative, with determination and confidence, for the construction of the patriotic and left-wing political alternative, for an advanced democracy with the values of Apr

il in the future of Portugal, for socialism and communism.