"Regarding President Ursula von der Leyen, we have a very clear position: we will support her and vote for her to continue as President of the" European Commission, Sebastião Bugalho began by telling journalists in Faro, on the sidelines of the inauguration of the local PSD president.

The leader of the Democratic Alliance, a coalition that brings together the PSD, CDS-PP, and PPM, then challenged the leader of the Socialist list.

"I would like to know, for example, if my main opponent, Dr. Marta Temido, will or will not support this re-election, given that she has consistently praised the programs that Ursula Von der Leyen has authored, namely the 'Next Generation EU'," he said.

Sebastião Bugalho stressed that "it is not much use praising what Ursula von der Leyen has done, if you are not going to vote for Ursula von der Leyen now".

"We have a coherent position, we praise and support. What does the PS in Portugal do, only praise, not support? I think it is important to clarify that question," stressed the AD candidate for the European elections of June 9.

This year's European elections, which will be held between June 6 and 9, will feature a dozen "leading candidates" from different European political parties for the position of President of the European Commission for the 2024-2029 legislature.

Ursula von der Leyen, the current incumbent, is the candidate of the European People's Party (EPP, center-right), which includes the PSD and CDS-PP, for re-election, while the Party of European Socialists (PES, center-left), which includes the PS, is presenting Nicolas Schmit for the position.

In Faro, Sebastião Bugalho also left, on behalf of the AD candidacy, "a vote of strong condemnation for the physical assault, in this case through the use of gunfire", suffered on Wednesday by the Prime Minister of Slovakia, Robert Fico, who was seriously injured by several gunshots in Handlova, about 150 kilometers from the country's capital.

"We want to send a message of solidarity and, above all, we wish him a speedy recovery and we want to condemn the use of violence against any European leader, any European candidate, and any citizen," he stressed.

This message, continued the AD leader, "also includes" the young Nepalese man who allegedly "was a victim of mistreatment, which was even filmed, with the footage being released and shared".

"We want to say here that our candidacy also totally condemns violence against immigrants, violence against European citizens, or violence against all those who come to Europe in search of a better life," said Sebastião Bugalho.

Making "an exception" to European affairs, the AD candidate also addressed the proceedings against the President of the Republic, Marcelo Rebelo de Sousa, requested by Chega, following his statements on reparations to former colonies.

"We do not accept that a party tries to use the President of the Republic to humiliate Portugal. Because one thing is what the President of the Republic sometimes says, and we may not agree, one thing is the divergence of opinion, another thing is the crime of opinion," he said.

For Sebastião Bugalho, a party that accuses a President of the Republic of treason is a party that "is contributing to humiliating Portugal" in the international community and "in the eyes" of the country's allies and partners.

Chega was the only party to vote against the report that concluded that there was no evidence that the President of the Republic had betrayed his country, with the remaining parties voting in favor.

Read Also: Bugalho wants "one more point" than his age. "I am more pro-European" (Portuguese version)