I would like to begin by greeting all the members and sympathisers who from the very beginning associated with this candidacy and gave themselves to our campaign with enthusiasm or sent us words of incitement during its course. I would also like to greet the youth and, specially the JCP, for the enthusiasm and support given to us.

From the start these elections had a predictable result. I would like to greet Dr. Jorge Sampaio on his re-election.

The presidential elections are different from the legislative elections, and their result does not derive from the previous legislative elections, nor can they project on subsequent legislative elections. The electoral influence of the parties is measured in legislative elections.

In these circumstances, the results obtained by our candidacy are up to our expectations.

The results foreseen, which point to a score superior to 5%, are also in these very specific and difficult elections, the expression of the great capacity of mobilisation and affirmation of the PCP and of a great significance for future battles.

With our candidacy we gave a qualified contribution for the enrichment and elevation of the electoral debate around relevant problems of the people and the country. We defended and expressed positions, ideas, values and essential proposals to embody a left policy corresponding to the national needs and the deep aspirations of the valorisation of work and the workers, of social justice, of the strengthening of democracy, of national development, of the affirmation of the interests of Portugal in the process of European construction and in international life. We clearly defended a conception of the exercise of the presidential functions actively linked to the constitutional values and project and endowed with an effective autonomy, independence and critical stand in face of the government. And, a fundamental issue, by its intervention and proposals we witnessed PCP’s political and ideological independence in relation to the other candidates, thus stating PCP’s clear and total autonomy and own political identity in this electoral battle.

The PCP’s decision to carry my candidacy to the ballot box has the high democratic value of having opened and given around 200 thousand voters the possibility of a vote entirely according to their conscience, will and programmatic options which, otherwise, would most probably tend to abstention, or to null or blank votes, or permitting a vote which, although not in accordance with the electoral influence of the PCP, expresses in a clear way a critical demand on Sampaio’s second term.

We specially greet these voters who accompanied us in this assumed movement of affirmation of values and a project of justice and social progress.

A part of PCP’s voters will have certainly voted for Jorge Sampaio.

We are certain that they did so because they preferred Jorge Sampaio to Ferreira do Amaral and did not wish a second turn.

We are certain they continue to trust the PCP and the causes and values it fights for. And these voters can rest assured that we count on them for the continuing battles and for the struggle for a new policy and an alternative of the left.