The secretary-general of the Socialist Party was speaking at an event in Grovelas, in Ponte da Barca, attended by some 500 activists, as part of his campaign for next month's general election.


"I know you haven't given up on Portugal, but I want you to know that Portugal has not given up on you, that Portugal can't do without you, Portugal didn't order you to emigrate," he said. "Portugal is here with open arms, Portugal says we need you, come back because the country needs to build a future with security and confidence."


Costa told his audience that the "new cycle of emigration" that the country has seen in the past few years "is one of the worst legacies that this government has left the country" and that it "destroys our self-esteem of the investment that many families made in their children's education, and it destroys dreams."


The younger generation, he said, had not turned its back on the country. He cited as a "symbol" of this generation the head of the party's list of candidate for Viana do Castelo district, Tiago Brandão Rodrigues, who is a high-flying research scientist in the UK.