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Honourable Speaker,
Honourable Prime Minister,
Members of Parliament,
Ladies and Gentlemen,

We celebrate today, once more, the anniversary of the revolution of April 25, 1974.

I will not repeat my last year’s statements. I will just mention how shocked I am that so many young people are not even aware of what happened on April 25, neither what it meant for Portugal. Especially the younger people, when questioned about what happened on April 25 of 1974, deliver surprising statements showing ignorance regarding the main protagonists, and are totally unaware of what it meant living under an authoritarian regime.

I cannot but recall, Members of Parliament that, when April 25 occurred, a large part of our current population had not even been born. Those who lived through the revolution, tend not to remember this, believing that the date, fixed in time, is eternally perennial.

It is not fair to those who fought for freedom, often risking their lives, that the generation responsible to maintain alive the memory of April persists in forgetting that the revolution was a Project for the future, must continue to be an inspiring dream and an ideal for the coming generations.

A political regime may not forget its origins. It is unhealthy that our democracy despises its genetic code and the promises inscribed therein. In a sense, April 25 has not yet been completed. In that which it contained as ambitions for a fairer society, in that which demanded a greater civic endeavour from the people, in that which implied a novel attitude from politicians, there is still a long way to go.

It was exactly thinking about the relevance of April 25 for our today’s youth that, last year, I tried to encourage Members of Parliament to reflect upon the sense to be given to this event.

I myself reflected on the sense which April 25 recalls today. And, as I have always argued that politicians should account for their performance, I am here today to tell the people of Portugal that I continue to believe that youth is the ultimate prospect of any commemoration of April 25 really worthy of that epithet.

April 25, I said it a year ago and repeat it once more, is not the monopoly of a generation or that of a political cause. The pluralism which it brought forth leads us to commemorate by reflecting upon the salutary diversity of opinions, upon the confrontation of world trends and visions, upon the free exchange of ideas, upon the legitimate exercise of the right to criticize and disagree. Above all it should be commemorated with the thought that April 25 more than ever belongs to those who never even lived through it.

It so happens that what I ascertained throughout this year gives me hope for the young, but some concern as well as to their future. Whilst travelling round the Country during the “Routes” which I launched I encountered, from North to South, enterprising and dynamic youths who dare to enter risk projects, I became aware of the existence of researchers of excellence similar to the world’s best, I contacted with a new generation dedicated to voluntary work and that reveal an emotive spirit in giving themselves to serve others.

But, similarly to what I stated here last year, if I found promissory signs all over the Country, I also feel that we have not been able to muster youth for a more active and participative involvement in politics. Since this is an issue which I consider very important, I could not base my opinion on mere suppositions. And, since I believe that I must account for my actions, I would like to share with all who are present in this chamber and with all the people of Portugal, the results of a survey on the political attitude and behaviour of Portuguese youth which, on my initiative, was carried out by the Catholic University and which I will shortly be distributing to the Parliamentary Parties. It shows that young people differ from other age groups with reference to some types of behaviour, but not with reference to all of them.

This survey, which was completed in January of this year, arrived at the following conclusions:

- firstly, the lack of satisfaction of the Portuguese as to the functioning of democracy, as well as the existence of opinions favourable towards deep reforms in Portuguese society;

- the younger people, between 15 and 17, and the young adults, between 18 and 29 – that is, those who were born after April 25 – belong in the age group which is favourable towards incremental reform limited to the system. It should however be noted that the young show less pessimism as to the future than the remaining age groups;

- the younger people are less exposed to political information from conventional sources of communication than the remaining segments of the people, and also show lower levels of political awareness;

- excepting the exercise of the right to vote, the Portuguese tend to be sceptical in relation to the effectiveness of traditional political participation, that is, party politics;

- with respect to a generalized number of measures intended to improve the quality of the democratic system, Portuguese are particularly favourable towards the presence of women in politics, to setting up new instruments of participation and to a more representative electoral system;

This survey was carried out in accordance with the most adequate and reliable methods in the gathering of information, and it can be accepted that the data obtained is genuine and corresponds to reality. It was this reality that The President of the Republic wished to find out. And it is this reality that I bring to the cognizance of Members of Parliament, with the conviction that politicians cannot ignore the pulse of society or what the people think about those who govern them.

The survey also shows other data which deserves careful analysis and deep meditation:

- already in 2004, the Portuguese, amongst Europeans and citizens of developed countries, were those that showed the worse assessment of the functioning of democracy; from 2004 until now, lack of satisfaction and pessimism increased appreciably;

- from the point of view of the so-called «interest in politics», results show, as quoted in the text, an «extremely low interest from respondents aged between 15 and 17»;

- comparatively, apart from Hungary and Slovenia, Portugal is the European country where citizens give lower importance to politics in their lives;

- in general, citizens have greater interest in local politics than at national or international levels.

The survey placed three very simple questions to the respondents: what is the number of Member States in the European Union, who was the first President elected after April 25 and if the Socialist Party had, or not, an absolute majority in Parliament. Well, Members of Parliament, half of the young people aged between 15 and 19 and one third of the young people aged between 18 and 29 were not even able to correctly answer a single one of the questions placed. I repeat, half of the young people aged between 15 and 19 were not even able to correctly answer a single one of the simple questions placed. On the day that we solemnly commemorate the 34th anniversary of April 25, in a ceremony repeated every year, it is demanded if we believe this was the future with which we dreamed.

Exactly for this reason, it is my intention to shortly promote a meeting with representatives of youth organizations, with the aim to obtain their views as to the distance that separates the young from politics and as to the measures which may contribute to lessen or reverse this situation.

Mister Speaker,
Members of Parliament,

Should these be the results, the causes will be harder to diagnose. I am well aware that political activities, especially in consolidated democracies and in developed societies, do not occupy a relevant place in the daily concerns of the people. Simply, however, even compared with the remaining European countries, the results obtained in Portugal are not very encouraging.

It is natural, even healthy, that people in general and particularly youngsters have poles of interest unconnected with politics. That means that they consider democracy as an acquired asset, that they have accepted the fact that they live in a democratic regime and that they dedicate their attention to other realities.

However, the level of information that young people have in respect of politics is so low that it surpasses the limits of what is natural and healthy in a ripened democracy.

Youth’s lack of interest must be a concern to all of us, starting with the politicians. Starting with you, Members of Parliament. If the young are not interested in politics it is because politics have been unable to motivate the interest of the young. I ask myself what will be the effects of this for a Portuguese government in the not too distant future.

It is thus necessary that what specialists identify as «distance to power» must decrease. Not by chance, local politics, in accordance with that survey, is that which most motivates the people. The nearer people are to the centres of decision, the greater will be their interest in participating and intervening. Thus, decision centres must endeavour to find a «policy of proximity» relative to the Portuguese.

This is what I have done through the «Routes» and other initiatives, which led me to directly contact the people, becoming closely aware of their anxieties, their concerns, their lack of satisfaction, but also of their hopes, their belief in a better Country, of the numerous instances of success and good practices which I have discovered in entrepreneurial and academic lives, or in the fields of culture, social inclusiveness, environment and scientific research.

Political parties have very clear responsibilities in the fight against the lack of interest of the young for public life. Fundamentally, in the fight against the apathy that many youngsters show in respect of the future of their Country. That is due, in fair measure, to the fact that not enough effort has been placed to bring credibility into politics. This effort does not spare a very simple proposition: listen to the people and tell them the truth. The sale of illusions is surely not the best way to strengthen the compelling climate of trust which must exist between the people and the body politic.

In the same way as it would be useful to put an end to certain autism of some of the body politic, getting it to become better acquainted with the reality of the Country, we should also put a stop to the pessimism that many say is since time immemorial a singular characteristic of the Portuguese.


In their every day lives, the Portuguese ask themselves what the future reserves for them. Do signs exist for us to be optimists? Or, on the contrary, do the indicators point towards a sombre future? This is the typical attitude of those who prefer to await the future or who persist in trying to divine the future, instead of thinking what they should do at present.

Instead of asking ourselves what the future will bring us, it would be better if we should concentrate on what we can bring to the present. The future starts now. The future will be what we can do about it today, in our professional and personal lives, in our civic behaviour, in our attitudes towards others. Instead of imagining what tomorrow will bring, instead of looking in the stars for signs of an uncertain future, let us build today what we wish for in a better Portugal. This is the spirit with which I exercise the office with which I was empowered, in this very chamber, where I swore to observe the Portuguese Constitution and ensure that it be observed.

I am President of the Republic because I did not give up. Because I wanted to contribute towards the future of the generations which follow us. I do not give up, above all, because I believe in the Country and in its people. And, for this reason, I renew my appeal of last year, addressed to all Portuguese, especially to the young: do not give up! This is the only way you will deserve the memory of April 25.

Thank you very much.