I

1. The important result achieved –with a result of 10.7% for Municipal Assemblies and a global vote of 590 thousand votes (surpassing, for parish assemblies, 600 thousand votes) and in particular the confirmation of a majority of municipalities where the presidency was regained – translates an elevated influence that is associated with the sustained progression of CDU (United Democratic Coalition) registered in the most recent elections and that is the expression of an ample current of support and trust of a growing number of Portuguese.

The Central Committee of PCP values, in this framework, the strengthening of its positions in the Setubal peninsula –which affirm CDU as the force with most mayors in the Lisbon Metropolitan Area –as well as winning the municipalities of Alpiarça, Alvito and Crato. Also important are the results obtained in many other municipalities, namely in the cities of Lisbon and Porto, all the more valued as they were built amidst an intense media campaign aimed at undermining CDU and favoring an artificial bipolarization, only surpassed due to the strong local ties and the history of achievements of the Coalition, as testified by the erosion suffered by Left Block (BE).

This electoral expression – which confirms CDU as a great national force –does not contradict the unsatisfactory character of a result that was short from the objectives. The verified reduction on votes, albeit slight, and of mandates does not correspond to the broad and dynamic campaign undertaken nor to the recognized value of work, achievements and local government project of communists and their allies.

2. The loss of mayorships in seven municipalities (Aljustrel, Beja, Marinha Grande, Monforte, Viana do Alentejo, Vila Viçosa and Sines, municipality where the CDU project had been abandoned) – in a framework where, throughout the years, in each municipal dispute there are situations of loss and gain of majorities – is not inseparable, among other reasons, from the blatant instrumentalization of the State apparatus and public resources, and from the proximity of the legislative elections, held only two weeks ago, which didn't allow the value of CDU's work in local government and its largely recognized merit, indispensable for building the result in local elections, to firmly affirm itself in these circumstances.

Upon reading the results, particularly the situations of majority, there is a clear concentration of votes of the right on the Socialist Party (PS) – testified by the fall of the Social-Democratic Party (PSD) and the support of economic interests – where they find the force that can best fight CDU and its positions. A reality clearly expressed in the fact that, in some cases, the loss of municipalities occurred in the context of CDU's increase in votes and influence, higher that 40% as in the case of Beja.

3. The Central Committee of PCP underlined, however, that all together the results obtained – corresponding to an increase greater that 3% and more than 150 thousand votes, when compared to the legislative elections, held a fortnight before – assumes an undeniable value, all the more so when achieved in the context of a persistent and intense campaign centered on devaluing and discriminating CDU that, allow having an earlier origin, underwent new developments two weeks ago with the legislative elections.

The Central Committee of PCP reaffirms its conviction that each position now conquered, each one of the three thousand direct mandates achieved by CDU, will constitute an additional element of work, intervention and complete dedication to the defense of the interests of populations, the promotion of their local living conditions and the struggle for building a better life. Mandates and positions that, translating a broad current of trust of those that support and trust PCP, will join the general action of the Party, its political intervention and the struggle of workers and people to open a path towards rupture and change capable of ensuring a country of social justice and progress.

4. The Central Committee salutes the thousands of candidates, activists and militants of PCP, Green Party (PEV), Democratic Intervention (ID), the Portuguese Communist Youth (JCP) and youth CDU, and independents who, with their generous dedication and irreplaceable intervention, contributed to building a campaign centered on the problems and popular aspirations and to affirm a project, program and candidacy that confirms CDU as a great national force, a great left force in local government.

The results obtained by CDU, and particularly the expressive participation of the youth and independents what made this coalition and its lists a space of convergence and intervention of the left, are a solid element of trust for future battles for a better life in the municipalities and parishes of the Country and for a more just, equal and sovereign Portugal.

5. The now concluded electoral cycle –globally translated in a solid and progress advance and growth of CDU, which last Sunday's results do not deny – constitute a clear affirmation of a great national force, tied to the workers and people, with a recognized institutional intervention, anchored in convictions and harboring an indispensable project for the country.

II

1. The President's decision, in the sequence of the legislative elections of September 27th, of mandating the general-secretary of PS, José Sócrates, to form government, together with next Thursday's inauguration of the new legislative Assembly of the Republic, mark the beginning of new political cycle, characterized by the loss of an absolute majority by PS, the strengthening of CDU and PCP and a new correlation of forces in the parliament.

2. The Central Committee of PCP calls attention to the fact that the decisive question is the political content and not the faces or protagonists that the new government will reveal. And the option is between an effective change that ensures a rupture with the dominant policy or the continuation of the same political path that brought so many hardships, injustices and inequalities to the country and to the life of workers and the population.

Th discussion of the Government Program and the State Budget for 2010, which will mark the beginning if the legislature, will constitute two defining moments of the political orientations and options of PS regarding the continuation of the last three decade's right-wing policies, responsible for the worsening of injustices, for taking away and limiting rights, for the social and economic crisis and for the abdication of national sovereignty.

3. Fulfilling its commitments and giving shape to the need of another policy that the country's situation demands, PCP will present, in the beginning of the new legislature, the initiatives that correspond to a will for change, expressed in the electoral results and in the struggle. With this objective, PCP will give priority in the Assembly of the Republic to: widening the access criteria and prolonging the duration of the unemployment subsidy; changing the negative aspects of the Labor Code and the labor legislation of the Public Administration; increasing wages, namely with national minimum wage; fighting precariousness; valuing pensions, safeguarding the right to retirement at 65 and the possibility of anticipating retirement without penalizations for contributing careers longer than 40 years; revoking the Teachers Career Statute, altering the teacher's evaluation model and revoking the Higher Education finance law; altering the fiscal regime of big companies, and well as that of micro, small and medium companies, towards greater fiscal justice.

III

1. The Central Committee alerts to the arrogance exhibited by PS that, since the electoral results and, in particular, that of local elections, seeks to transform these in to the absolute majority that was denied in the legislative elections, in an attempt to legitimize the continuity of its right-wing policy, of capitalist concentration and centralization, of favoring the intensification of the exploitation of workers, of its offensive against the interests of workers and the people.

2.The successive declarations of the mandated prime-minister and other PS leaders about the policy to be developed with the next government confirm that the condemnation of the right-wing policies, clearly translated in the ample mass struggle and expressed in the european and legislative elections, is not a guarantee that the policies of injustice and liquidation of rights will not continue. José Sócrates' statements regarding the budget deficit (which may fall between 6-7%, according to the data surgically announced the day after the legislative elections) and the measures to reduce it reveal a «hidden agenda» that in essence points towards the continuation of the same policies, so that the same are called to pay this reduction, just as during the previous legislature. An «agenda» that is a disquieting example, as demonstrated with the case of Quimonda, which announced the day after the elections that it would be laying-off 590 workers.

3. The serious economic situation of the country, with profound social consequences, which will tend to prolong over the next years as confirmed by the recent predictions of our economic evolution until 2010. The budget deficit, although a problem, is not a part of the so-called structural deficits of our economy. The evocation of its reduction cannot be used to justify the attack on wages and public divestment in fundamental areas, such as education, health and social security.

The negative evolution of the GDP in 2009 (which will reach a value around -3%), with a probability of repetition in 2010, will reflect as a negative evolution in private consumption and investment, translating into a strong fall in national productive activity, provoking strong falls in employment and an sharp increase in unemployment, which today strikes, broadly
speaking, around 635 thousand unemployed (11% of the effective unemployment rate).

4. The economic development of the country demands, on the one hand, a vigorous, sustained and balanced economic growth, based on the defense of national production and with a decisive State intervention in the effective regulation of economic activity and the implmentation of policies that follow national strategic options and, on the other hand, the valuing of work and workers as a nuclear issue of an alternative policy. A development strategy that does not dispense a number of urgent and necessary measures, without which there is a risk of the economic and social crisis the country is facing becoming worse.

5. The Central Committee of PCP reaffirms that the most crucial and decisive political question before the country, towards which the economic and social situation has dragged us, is that of rupture with the policies of monopoly capitalist domination, economic decline, social injustice and national submission, which the right-wing policies of PS and PSD, with or without CDS, have been imposing.
The Central Committee underlines that, together with the political action of the Party and its institutional intervention, the development and widening of the mass struggle emerges as a determining element for achieving a left-wing policy that ensures a better life. The struggle of diverse groups and sectors, starting with the struggle of the working class that was determinant towards the defeat of PS's absolute majority, emerges as a condition to pursue the resistance to new offensives and impose the defense of social achievements and affirmation of rights.

It is with PCP, the great left force increasing necessary and essential in building another path and another policy for the country – without whose strengthening there is no left alternative – that the workers, people, the young and all non-monopolist sectors can count on.

IV

1. The defense of the interests of the workers and people, the demand for upholding rights and responding to aspirations, in a framework of rupture and change in policy, reinforce the need for strengthening mass organizations and movements, in particular the United Labor Movement, for developing the struggle of workers and populations.

The Central Committee bearing in mind the intense political and electoral action of the masses highlights the irreplaceable role of PCP and salutes its organizations and militants for their work, dedication and militancy, which are a testament to the reality of a Party without equal in our country.

2.Following the elections, the international and national situation places new political, ideological, organizational and intervention demands that are evidence of a need for implementing the action «Onward! For a stronger PCP» decided in the XVIII Congress.

Firstly, particular attention should be given to the promotion of recruitment (considering the great potential existing among the thousands of CDU candidates without political affiliation and of leaders and activists of trade unions and other mass movements), as well as the integration of and giving responsibilities to new militants.

The achievement of the orientations towards the strengthening of the Party has as essential aspects: accompanying and giving responsibilities to cadres; political and ideological training; the strengthening of organization and intervention with the working class and workers in their companies and places of employment; the creation and fostering of base organizations; the party structure; holding Organization Assemblies; the development of work with the masses, propaganda, press and media; financial issues.

3. The necessary political initiative and action of the Party and the development of mass action should be articulated with a decided actions of strengthening the Party, to achieve based on the conclusions of the XVIII Congress, with an ample discussion of organizations and militants of the Party, analyzing the concrete reality, making precise objectives, defining plans of action and programming work in order to respond to immediate demands and those of the next few years.