This appeal was transmitted by Alexandre Poço, also vice-president of the PSD Parliamentary Group, shortly after the leader of the JS, Miguel Matos, also in a press conference, warned that the PS will be against the new IRS Jovem proposed by the Government if the measure "is not changed and continues to benefit those with higher incomes". Alexandre Poço rejected these criticisms from the leader of the young socialists, defended the proposal approved by the Council of Ministers on Thursday, stressing that it will benefit "all young people" (except those in the last income bracket) and put forward a specific case to support his position. "A young person who earns a thousand euros of income per month currently pays 1411 euros in IRS, but with the new proposal will pay 471, which represents a saving of 941 euros. Telling a young person who earns a thousand euros that they can save almost a month's salary per year can only be good policy. It is good policy, especially for young people who are starting their professional careers (aged 21, 22 or 23), to know that they will have their own tax regime for over 10 years", stressed the president of the JSD. Asked about the negative reactions of the opposition to the measures aimed at young people announced by the Government, Alexandre Poço asked that the proposals not be criticized "simply because they come from another party". "I appeal to the PS and to all parties represented in the Assembly of the Republic to think about young Portuguese people who could have a tax relief of around two thirds in IRS. Think about young Portuguese people who, when buying a house that costs 250 thousand euros, will benefit from a relief of around nine thousand euros in IMT (Municipal Property Transfer Tax) and stamp duty alone", he stressed. For Alexandre Poço, if the parties put young Portuguese people "above party criticism and do not disagree just because the measure comes from a different government, then the opposition, at the end of the day, will have many reasons to make viable the measures that need to be approved in parliament". At the press conference, the leader of the young social democrats also rejected that there had been plagiarism by the Government in relation to the PS's project for the granting of support for student accommodation, which was approved on Wednesday in the Assembly of the Republic, but against which the PSD voted. "It is a different proposal, because the Government's is based on the reference value of the social support index. But we do not know how much the PS's project costs, how many young people it intends to reach, nor do we know its impact in terms of financial support for young people", he argued. In this context, Alexandra Poço argued that there is no continuity between the measures of the previous socialist government and those of the current PSD/CDS-PP government. "Look at the Porta 65 Programme. Now, young people will be able to apply for the programme and find out if the State supports them. Then, these young people have two months to find a house that is compatible with their income and the amount of support that will be allocated to them", he pointed out. But the president of the JSD also invoked another example related to the purchase of a house by young people. "When buying a first house, the PS government never agreed to grant young people exemption from IMT and stamp duty. Now, for a house that costs 250 thousand euros, we are talking about a saving of around 35 thousand euros", he noted. Speaking to journalists, Alexandre Poço argued that "it is hard to understand how the opposition parties are not satisfied" with the measures announced by the Government. "Many young Portuguese people want these measures to go ahead, because they are positive. The Government announced [on Thursday] a set of decisions that show that young people are a priority for Luís Montenegro's government. The Government has given a clear sign that there is a future for young people in Portugal", he added. Read Also: PS warns that it will oppose the new IRS Jovem if the proposal is not changed (Portuguese version)