The Government included in the budget plan delivered to Brussels economic growth rates lower than those foreseen in the AD electoral program. But Luís Montenegro, in the debate on the General State Budget proposal, reiterates the intention to reach growth levels of 3% and “make it remain above 3% in a solid and lasting way.”
In the budget plan delivered to Brussels, the Ministry of Finance foresees an acceleration of growth to 2.1% in 2025 and 2.2% in 2026, to decelerate to 1.7% in 2027 and 1.8% in 2028, in a scenario of invariant policies. These are, therefore, lower values than those foreseen in the AD electoral program: 2.5% in 2025, 2.7% in 2026, 3% in 2027 and 3.4% in 2028. The Government has highlighted that These are different methodologies.
Now, in response to the parliamentary leader of the PSD, Hugo Soares, Luís Montenegro said that 3% continues to be a legislative objective and that the Government prefers to be prudent. “The Government maintains its intention to reach 3% intact of the economic growth rate and maintain the growth of our economy above 3% in a solid and lasting manner. This is an objective of the legislature, it was not the first year. It is true that we are being cautious in the face of the real situation we face today, of external uncertainty” due to geopolitical instability and the economic consequences, even in the European “drivers”, such as Germany, he stated.
Specifically with respect to 2025, he maintains that the 2.1% enrollment also reflects the external economic reality, but also the fact that the Government has not gone “as far” as it wanted in economic and fiscal policy. And he emphasizes that the Public Finance Council (CFP) and other entities are closer “to what is in our electoral program than the Government” (the CFP predicts a growth of 2.4% next year).
“But we are cautious,” he adds.
The CFP sees the budget with room for new pension measures and points to a surplus higher than that of the Government
Source: Observadora
