The review of the Nationality Law and the debate on immigration continue to mark the political agenda. But before we get carried away by easy slogans or occasional indignations, it is worth remembering the essential thing: the increase in immigration in Portugal in the last decade – as in other European countries – was not an ideological whim. It was a rational political decision, supported by humanist principles, yes, but also by the country’s concrete needs. And it had the support of a large part of the business community.
Since 2014, Portugal has benefited from a more dynamic labor market, which has allowed the economy to grow and maintain the Social State. Mário Centeno, Minister of Finance in António Costa’s governments, said it several times: without immigration, there would be no economic growth. It can be argued that other policies would have led to similar or even better results, but that is another discussion. What cannot be denied is that immigration was part of a coherent and deliberate strategy.
However, a country is not a company. And a demographic transformation of this magnitude – with the immigrant population today representing around 15% of the total – inevitably has social and political consequences. Politics is not just resource management: it is also the management of identities, belongings, fears and hopes. Portugal is not a postal box, but a nation-state with almost a thousand years of history, its own language and culture. This is where the debate becomes more difficult – and more necessary.
The discussion about immigration cannot, therefore, be limited to the economy. It touches on the very idea of nation, on the definition of what it means to be Portuguese and on the contours of our collective identity. We can – and must – defend the noblest humanist principles. But we cannot ignore the human condition, which by nature is averse to change and fears the Other. Pretending that this fear does not exist, or devaluing it with condescension, is the shortest way to give strength to populisms that feed on fear and resentment.
The new Nationality Law introduces controversial aspects: the possibility of losing nationality in certain circumstances, more demanding rules for children of foreigners born in Portugal, and a debatable transitional period. But it has the merit of trying to separate two concepts that are often confused: immigration and citizenship. The latter cannot be seen as a mere formality. Being a citizen means identifying with a political community, sharing its fundamental values and accepting the rights and duties that arise from it. The example may seem extreme, but it is not excessively hypothetical, given the current geopolitical context: how many foreigners residing in Portugal would be willing to take up arms to defend our country, if necessary? They will probably be fewer than we would like, but many more than immigration critics realize.
On the other hand, although the debate should not be reduced to the economy, it cannot be ignored either. There will be a price to pay for making it more difficult to reside in our country. Are critics of immigration prepared to accept less growth, innovation and dynamism? And, most importantly: is there a viable alternative to the economic model that has prevailed over the last decade?
These are the difficult questions that the country needs to face – with courage, with lucidity and with a sense of responsibility.
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