President urges end to "culture of trenches" in first Republic Day address
António José Seguro marked his first appearance as Portugal's head of state at the annual 5 October ceremony with a dual message: praise for teachers on World Teachers' Day and a sharp call for political compromise to halt what he called the country's destructive "culture of trenches."
Speaking from the Praça do Município in Lisbon, the President of the Republic told an audience that included Prime Minister Luís Montenegro and Assembly President José Pedro Aguiar-Branco that Portugal needs inter-party agreements lasting beyond single legislatures. Seguro explicitly welcomed ongoing talks between the centre-right government and the Socialist Party (PS) on the 2027 State Budget, expressing hope other parties would join what he termed a "path of commitment and convergence."
"Without political stability there are no possible results," Seguro told the crowd. He called for an end to constantly "going back to the beginning just because a legislature has changed," adding that solving people's problems is the best cure against extremist threats.
Teachers placed at the heart of the Republic
The ceremony coincided with World Teachers' Day, and Seguro devoted substantial attention to the role of educators in fulfilling the Republic's promise of equality.
"Valuing our teachers is valuing our own Republic," the President stated. "Without teachers, there would be no country we know today, nor the one we want to build."
He argued that teaching goes beyond transmitting knowledge, describing educators as those who know how to open horizons for those born with fewer opportunities. When a teacher changes someone's destiny, Seguro said, "equality stops being a promise and becomes reality."
Seguro directed special greetings to teachers working in schools across Portugal and those teaching Portuguese language abroad, noting that the Republic's promise of equal treatment "gains face in the face of a teacher."
Public trust and institutional credibility
The head of state addressed what he identified as a key danger facing the Portuguese Republic: the erosion of citizens' trust in institutions.
"When the State asks citizens for trust, it must be the first to deliver that trust," Seguro said, noting that in too many situations this is not happening. He cited late administrative decisions, endless licensing processes, delayed support and interminable court proceedings as examples of how confidence erodes.
"I appeal to the responsibility of all those who exercise public functions," he said. "Defending the prestige of institutions is essential to guarantee citizens' trust in the Republic."
Seguro, who assumed office on 9 March after defeating Chega leader André Ventura with 66.84% of votes cast in the second round — more than 3.5 million ballots — expressed "profound emotion" at delivering his first Republic Day address as President.
Fuel support measures enacted
Earlier on Monday, the President promulgated a government decree creating extraordinary and temporary financial supports worth €38 million to mitigate rising fuel costs for affected sectors.
The package includes a 10-cent per litre subsidy for professional diesel extended through year's end. Of the total, €30 million goes to freight and emergency transport, with payments ranging from €118.20 to €457.80 per vehicle depending on weight. Public bus transport receives €5 million at €420 per bus, while the remaining €3 million supports taxis, firefighters and the social sector at rates of €120 to €600 per entity or vehicle.
Political parties split on President's message
Reaction from political parties revealed sharp divisions over Seguro's appeal for centrist cooperation.
The Socialist Party and PSD both signalled alignment with the President's call for dialogue and stability. PS representative José Luís Carneiro emphasized his party would never allow the country to fall into political crisis given current circumstances. PSD's Alexandre Poço said his party "identifies quite a lot" with the dimension of dialogue.
However, the Portuguese Communist Party (PCP) and Left Bloc (Bloco de Esquerda) both criticised Seguro's praise for the government-PS rapprochement on the budget. PCP's João Ferreira called the speech "contradictory," arguing it is impossible to resolve the country's problems — from healthcare to housing — through agreements with parties he held responsible for those problems. He advocated a "break with these policies."
Left Bloc coordinator José Manuel Pureza said his party diverged from the political line endorsed by the President, arguing that centre agreements have increasingly become a gateway to right-wing radicalisation. He contended that the only meaningful convergence is one improving people's lives, and that honouring the Republic requires policies meeting majority needs, not merely speeches.
Chega dismissed Seguro's address as "more of the same" in its appeal for PSD-PS unity, complaining it is excluded from such arrangements. The Liberal Initiative noted the same contradiction: the President calls for reforms while praising agreements between the two major parties.
Livre, by contrast, argued that excluding Chega from regime agreements is essential.
A Republic tested in daily life
Earlier, Lisbon Mayor Carlos Moedas warned that a Republic begins to die "when its citizens stop believing in it, when laws are seen as obstacles, when prudence is confused with fear."
Moedas identified blind partisanship, radical discourse and a culture of impunity as signs of this detachment, reminding listeners that the First Republic's instability — 45 governments in 16 years — led to the 1926 coup and almost 50 years of dictatorship.
"The Republic was born on this balcony and lives or dies on the street," the mayor concluded from the balcony of the Paços do Concelho, where Portugal's Republic was proclaimed in 1910.
Seguro ended his address quoting deceased musician Jorge Palma: "Oh Portugal, Portugal, what are you waiting for?" — declaring the time had come to advance with ambition, courage and confidence.
