Montenegro Held Accountable for Potential Hate Incidents, Warns Carneiro

José Luís Carneiro, the Secretary-General of the Socialist Party, has issued a stark warning about the consequences of Prime Minister Luís Montenegro's policies, particularly regarding immigration laws. In a pointed opinion piece, Carneiro argues that the government's alignment with far-right ideologies marks a "grave retrogression in civilization", undermining family reunification and immigrant integration efforts.

A Controversial Shift in Policy

Carneiro criticizes the government's recent changes to immigration laws, which he claims were made "hand in hand with Chega", a far-right party, disregarding the input of relevant entities. This move, he asserts, not only violates human rights and the Constitution but also fosters an "unfriendly environment" towards immigrants, potentially leading to hate incidents.

The Fallout of Political Decisions

"The first mark of this Government was to give the far-right an unimaginable political and cultural victory," Carneiro writes, highlighting the severe implications for Portugal's relations with Portuguese-speaking countries. He holds Montenegro responsible for any ensuing hate crimes, stating, "the Prime Minister has become co-responsible for the hostile atmosphere immigrants are beginning to face everywhere."

A Call for Dialogue

Despite the criticism, Carneiro expresses willingness to engage in dialogue with the government to achieve a parliamentary majority, emphasizing that "it didn't have to be this way." He urges the government to explain its betrayal of electoral promises, including the much-touted "no is no" stance against alliances with Chega.