Fernando Jesus Pires, director of the newspaper O Regiões, writes an editorial in which he defends that Portugal needs to discuss the culture of permanence in politics and the role that politics should have in democracy. The author does not express hostility toward politicians, but argues that power belongs to citizens and is only temporarily entrusted to their representatives. He defends that a public office is not personal heritage, a mandate is not property, and a political function does not constitute an acquired right to permanence in the State.
The editorial addresses the need for renewal in Portuguese politics, arguing that new people, different experiences and a permanent connection to real society are needed. Pires defends that democracy should not be limited to asking what is permitted, but should also ask what is healthy for institutions. He points out that a Parliament should not only be a place for professional politicians and that mayors, deputies or government officials should have a political culture in which returning to their profession and to society would be considered normal.
The author also addresses the issue of revolving doors between political offices and private interests, defending that no one should be able to turn a public authority position into a private advantage without clear and enforceable rules. He defends that transparency in the system reduces the space for suspicions and that Portugal should discuss limits, renewal, incompatibilities and conflicts of interest. However, Pires underlines that one should not look for culprits where there is no evidence, but rather solutions where there are problems.
The editorial concludes that Portugal needs a new democratic culture in which power is not a career, but a mission. Pires argues that whoever enters politics should enter to serve, know that the mandate ends, accept scrutiny and know how to return to society. He defends that the true greatness of those who serve the Country does not lie in remaining eternally in power, but in knowing when the time has come to hand it over. The author appeals to leave to future generations a system of rules and culture of power that favors responsible mandates rather than eternal political careers.
