“For Rabbit Steps nowadays it’s easier to talk than to do”

ANDm interview with Antena 1, to the Programa Política com Signa, Carlos Coins was asked if the former Prime Minister of the Government in which he was Deputy Secretary of State is being unfair in the criticisms he has made to the current executive PSD/CDS-PP.

“I don’t agree with what he said. You're being unfair in the sense that what you say has no reason to be. The reforms that this government is making are as possible within the framework that exists, which is a very difficult minority,” he said, countering that in the time of the ‘troika’ the executive led by Pedro Passos Coelho had an absolute majority.

The mayor and former European Commissioner said that “Steps was the right man at the right time” and Louis Montenegro “is the right man at this time”.

“To Passos Coelho nowadays is easier to say than to do, Luís Montenegro knows this difficulty of being in the minority,” he said, stressing that the current Prime Minister is the person in the PSD with more “parliamentary experience”.

Asked if he thinks the former Prime Minister intends to return to the post he already held between 2011 and 2015, Coins referred that question to Passos Coelho himself, but argued that the Montenegro cycle will be longer than many predict.

“ It will have a longer cycle than people think (...) In 2029, there will surely be more Montenegro, he is doing a good job, going to elections and will win”, predicted the current vice president of the party.