Between OnlyFans and TikTok: Conservatism in Portugal

Conservatism is in fashion. Or rather, it's fashionable to say you're conservative. And, amidst slogans, sexualized Instagram photos, OnlyFans accounts, and tons of makeup promoting a TikTok-style traditionalism (which isn't practiced), we can glimpse the absence of purpose outside the individualistic sphere.

No, you are not promoting conservatism; you are promoting yourselves by using conservatism.

How many of you, who identify as conservative, love the slogan "conservative in customs and liberal in economics"? And how many have even stopped for five minutes to think about what that actually means? What does it mean to be conservative in customs? Which customs? And why? What does it mean to be liberal in economics? And can these two positions conflict?

What do they intend to preserve?

Holding onto a flag mimically, securing prominence on social media or a political space where no difference is promoted, doesn't make you conservatives. It makes you astute people, able to read the signs of the times and understand global phenomena. Your merit lies in anticipating social and political changes, understanding which way the wind will blow in the near future. For your personal goals, I have no doubt that it works. But, for a conservative statement, that's not enough; it can undermine the possibility of real changes in the political and social landscape, and may even lead to the end of conservatism as a political reality.

There is, in fact, no credible conservative political alternative in Portugal. That space was, by its very nature, the space of the CDS (Democratic and Social Centre – People's Party). But the CDS chose to be a crutch for the Social Democratic Party, to surrender to Eurocentric ideology and, let's be honest, stopped promoting conservatism where it matters most: in society. The CDS opted for the preservation of political careers and will pay an even higher price in the future if something is not done to reverse course. Because, at a certain point, it won't even be able to preserve that.

The local elections proved that there is room for maneuver for the Christian Democrats, but they need to know how to seize it with all their might and work to promote the preservation of traditions, culture, and sovereignty, and fight to move towards confrontation in defense of what they believe in. The Christian Democrats considered issues closed that are far from closed, and bowed to what the spiral of silence promoted as absolute truth. Do you know who didn't consider these issues closed? The left, which recently carried out a campaign aimed at extending the time frame in which people can be eliminated.

There are no closed topics!

It's common to see an uncompromising defense of the free market as a higher purpose of conservatism. But what happens when this total market freedom clashes with so-called conservatism in customs? Which side of the fence will they be on?

When a woman who practices the world's oldest profession via OnlyFans joins a party that claims to be conservative in its morals and liberal in its economics, either the party is consistent and expels her, affirming its conservatism in morals and rejecting liberalism in economics, or it accepts her and embraces liberalism in both morals and economics. It can't be both.

And what about education? Will you accept that private schools can promote content that might be considered immoral? And in public schools? Will you simply accept the complete abandonment of Christian morality in education, promoting an atheist culture disguised as secularism? Will it be Jacobin conservatism?

And what about drugs? Will you promote a free market for the drug trade? Or will you protect society and make prudent assessments of each specific case?

Will you accept, for example, the emergence of assisted reproduction companies (surrogate mothers)?

A debate within conservative circles is urgently needed, and we must not leave our flag in the hands of those who see it as an opportunity for personal and financial success.

Conservatism is not a tool for personal ambition. It is a commitment to preserving what defines our identity, our culture, and our values. If we want it to survive and have a real impact, we must discuss, choose coherently, and act purposefully. We cannot expect the future to be handed to us.