RTP2 aired an interview with the Duke of Bragança on August 11th.
I saw it in Portugal as I was on holidays there, and my parents-in-law - by no means a progressive couple- just shaked their heads. Dom Duarte is the best reason for not reinstating the monarchy. His views are so ultra conservative, so old-fashioned and so dull. For example: the argument that Portugals hould not have invested the EU funds in new roads and real estate projects but in education has been repeated ad nauseam since the crisis started in 2008. I have overheard much of the same talk for years by the elderly ladies that make bus rides in Porto for no other reason it seems than to chat about the state of the country.
Among other things he gave his views on the economical crisis. His sollutions remained on the level of table-talk with a simplistic view of the country, full of cliches and describing a Portugal that only existed in the Salazarist propaganda of the Estado Novo but that never existed in reality. Fortunately for him, the lady who interviewed him was rather mild and let him get away with a lot of nonsense.
Having that said, he does seem like a rather kind and friendly man who means well and clearly loves his country; a thoroughly decent men, which in this time of distrust for politicians is something. But his extremely conservative views will prevent him from ever being acceptable for a majority of the Portuguese, even when they would like to have a monarchy.
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The interview was taped in the gorgeous garden of his house in Sintra (near Lisbon).
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