In a video message sent to the press, Vasco Cardoso, member of the PCP's Political Commission, expressed concern about the rising prices of some essential goods and services and pointed to the commitment of the party and the CDU to respond to the problem in the next legislature.

"The 850 euros of national minimum wage cannot be thrown into a distant future as the PS wants, but achieved in the short term. For this it is essential that during the year 2022 it increases to 800 euros and that it is fixed in January 2023 at 850 euros," he argued.

Classifying this salary increase as a "national emergency and priority option of a future government", Vasco Cardoso said that the PCP also wants an extraordinary increase in pensions with a minimum value of 10 euros.

On the other hand, besides looking at workers' income, the member of the party's Political Commission also stresses the need for measures that promote price regulation of essential goods and services.

"Life has confirmed that privatisation and liberalisation of sectors has brought neither better nor cheaper services, quite the opposite," he argued, referring specifically to the sectors of electricity, fuel, telecommunications, transport and banking services.

"We need courage and determination to face the interests of economic groups and not permanent surrender", added Vasco Cardoso, also referring to housing, for which the repeal of the law on rents is advocated, and fiscal policy.

At this level, a reduction in VAT on electricity and bottled gas is proposed, in addition to a "more global reduction of the weight of indirect taxes which hit hardest those who have the least".

In the same message, the Communist also argues that the country needs a new economic policy to reduce external dependence, based on a focus on national production to replace imports and "aimed at a greater and fairer distribution of wealth, the creation of skilled jobs and the fight against poverty".

"The solution to the rising cost of living, poverty, deprivation, emigration and demographic decline cannot be found through options and policies such as those of the Socialist Party, which block the increase in wages and pensions, which sacrifice the rising cost of living and the loss of tax revenues to the profits of economic groups.