Accusing is Easy, Admitting is What Hurts

It's with some indignation, but also considerable irony, that I'm watching the exchange of words between the Socialist Party (PS) and the Social Democratic Party (PSD). On the one hand, we have a prime minister who took office just over two years ago, with a second election in between. On the other, we have the second-largest opposition party, which previously governed from November 26, 2015, to April 2024. Whether it's X's fault or Y's, we must take responsibility for what was done, what wasn't done, and, most importantly, for the moral evocation of what is being demanded.

On radio, television, and social media, there's no shortage of comments, articles, or stories where accusations are the dominant tone. Each individual seems to possess the art of journalism, of commentator-like "senator," and even, in many cases, a superior morality and intellectuality that gives them the right to say whatever they want, without allowing their lofty and arrogant status to be questioned.

I believe the opposition must be firm, but also assertive. A party that was in government has, in my opinion, an added responsibility: it was on top of the issues and, therefore, has the moral authority to point the finger when changes occur and things go wrong. But this responsibility is even greater when the criticism focuses on matters on which, while in government, it did nothing, or where what it did only exacerbated the problem.

An example of this is when a mayor from the governing party recently complains to the media about the lack of police officers, which has led to the temporary closure of police stations, or the lack of doctors, which keeps hospital specialties closed. These are problems that worsened under António Costa's administration and persist today. However, when the government was of the same ilk, the alarm wasn't so loud.

Marta Temido was perfectly correct in mocking the government's decision to waive user fees for areas affected by the fires. This measure demonstrates a complete lack of understanding, as user fees have been suspended since the COVID-19 pandemic.

I think it's good form for the defeated party to admit its mistakes. But that rarely happens. I remember António José Seguro, who timidly acknowledged the disaster of José Sócrates's administration and responsibly let Passos Coelho get on with it. But we all remember how hard that accountability was.

Similarly, it's reprehensible that the current government is increasing the number of public employees. A decrease would be expected, a promise also made by António Costa, who pledged to hire only one new public employee for every two departures. In an era of digitalization, automation, and new forms of management, in which companies and citizens are forced to optimize resources, the state continues to act as if our money were an unlimited resource.

The juggling acts in politics are also limitless. Without any sense or shame, Chega MP Pedro Frazão posted a video on his social media channels criticizing "Chat Control," after two favorable votes on Socialist Party proposals for its implementation in Portugal.

Politics in Portugal continues to be guided more by accusations than by taking responsibility. It's common to see parties criticizing others for what they themselves did when they were in power, and vice versa. The Socialist Party (PS) and the Social Democratic Party (PSD) trade accusations, Chega rides the wave of popular indignation, and everyone seems to forget that citizens' memories aren't as short as they think. The problem isn't just the policies themselves, but the lack of courage to acknowledge mistakes and learn from them. Until this changes, the alternation of power will always be more theater than true renewal.