Marcelo Rebelo de Sousa warns of dangers of social intolerance

Former Portuguese President Marcelo Rebelo de Sousa has warned that if the prevailing social climate continues to be defined by intolerance, emotional radicalization, and individuals claiming to be the sole owners of truth, it may become extremely difficult to recover societal norms.

Speaking at a session titled ‘Portugal–Mozambique: Dialogue, Cooperation and Development’ at the Mário Soares and Maria Barroso Foundation in Lisbon, Rebelo de Sousa noted that this emotional radicalization is currently sweeping through humanity. He argued that instead of rational discourse, people are increasingly seeking to impose unilateral truths, leaving little room for dialogue or the building of bridges.

The former head of state cautioned that if this climate persists for several years, the social cohesion that seemed evident less than a decade ago could be lost. He suggested that this shift emerged because political, economic, and social structures failed to fill existing voids, allowing radicalism to take hold.