André Ventura has renewed his call for unity while insisting that Chega must prove it is ready to govern. He returned to a familiar theme, arguing that the party's next test is demonstrating governing capacity rather than adding votes alone. Ventura also went after the Socialist Party over its announced intention to make the state budget viable. In his reading, enabling the government's budget is a concession that PS will have to account for. He summed up the state of the country by saying it is 'the same' as seven years ago. The remark suggests he believes the problems that fueled his party's rise remain unresolved. For him, unity is the precondition for turning that dissatisfaction into actual governing power. The party now faces the task of convincing voters it can move from protest force to a party of government.