Portugal needs to reform its pension system, a matter that directly affects citizens' future. Columnist Dantas Rodrigues presents his opinion on how this reform should be conducted, warning about important distinctions that should not be ignored in public debate.
According to the author, three concepts frequently confused in pension discourse need to be clearly distinguished. First, reforming is not synonymous with reducing pensioners' rights. Second, modernizing the system does not equate to privatizing it. Finally, holding citizens accountable for their future does not mean abandoning them.
The article calls for the debate on pension reform in Portugal to be conducted responsibly, without the need for change serving as a pretext for reducing rights, privatizing the public system, or abandoning those most in need of social protection. Dantas Rodrigues argues that it is possible to modernize and make the system sustainable without compromising the fundamental principles of social solidarity.
