Africa-Press – Cape verde. Opposition parties warn that some data contained in the third survey on Governance, Peace and Security, released last week, create a field that encourages populism and the rise of populists, as has happened in other countries. MpD says there is no room for the phenomenon in Cape Verde.
Positions expressed, on Monday night, during the “Plenary” program on Rádio Morabeza. PAICV and UCID are based on the fact that Cape Verdeans understand that freedoms of the press and expression are less respected, in the same way that they feel that politicians respond less and less to their needs.
Adilson Jesus, from PAICV, remembers that populism appears in moments of dissatisfaction.
“The level of dissatisfaction is such that only 14% of the population believe that politicians respond to the needs of the population. It is also necessary to interpret this data. We are talking about politicians who execute, fundamentally. We are talking about the system that is implemented and it must be said that this percentage has been deteriorating since 2016. This needs to be put to an end. And when this point is reached, dissatisfaction is created in the population, which opens up this space for this type of demand and the appearance of these populisms. I hope that doesn’t happen, that there is tranquility in the country’s autonomous, governmental and legislative process”, he understands.
On the UCID side, Dora Pires recalls that, in many countries, some figures transformed dissatisfaction into an electoral asset. The party leader understands that political parties and governments are fundamental players in the fight against populism.
“If [the populists] work on this in the way that suits them and appeal to the vote, this is dangerous because they could appear as the savior of the country. And sometimes there are people who end up going after them and this could have serious consequences. That is why those in government and the parties that are in opposition have to work in the best possible way so that there is credibility in their work, showing through their day-to-day lives, their political practices, that they are working to improve the situation and to gain confidence in the people who will then cast a vote, but a vote of confidence”, he says.
MpD has a different view. The party’s representative, Benvindo Cruz, says that populism is falling in Europe and that there is no room for this phenomenon in Cape Verde.
“The populism that has emerged, or is emerging, or has emerged in Europe, is in decline. He already gave what he had to give. It will no longer happen because the citizen, the voter, is paying attention. You’ve seen that populism is a bluff. Therefore, it will no longer have space in political life in Europe and also here in Cape Verde. Here in Cape Verde it hasn’t caught on and won’t even catch on. So this is out of the question. And then it’s nonsense. Talking about populism, that people can say this or that and then at the same time saying that people cannot speak, they cannot say that, because otherwise they will be persecuted, otherwise they will be muzzled. Therefore, it is nonsense that we are saying here”, he says.
According to the third survey on Governance, Peace and Security, from 2016 to 2023, less than four in ten Cape Verdeans understand that freedoms of the press and expression are respected or highly respected in the country.
Among other data, the same bulletin estimates that 14.2% of the population aged 18 or over have the perception that politicians respond to the population’s concerns and needs.
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