The PSD calls the euthanasia referendum a “path of no return” in terms of the “national interest”.

PSD’s draft resolution on a referendum to decriminalize euthanasia, unveiled this Monday, defends the popular poll because it believes a “question of relevant national interest” is at stake, which implies a “path of no return.”

SDP President Luis Montenegro announced this Monday morning that the party will submit this request for a referendum on which it wants to be voted “immediately” the same week that the new text is due to go to the polls. based on legislative initiatives PS, IL, BE and PAN on the same issue.

“This is a matter of a corresponding national interest, which directly implies the entry of society into the path of no return and whose final decision, without jeopardizing democratic freedom, which guarantees dissension, does not allow coolness in the execution of what is the will of the majority of citizens. “, – justifies the party, – in a draft resolution sent to the media and delivered to parliament.

In the text, the SDP deputies propose to call on registered voters in the national territory to express their opinion in a referendum on the issue, also already disclosed by Luis Montenegro, which, in their opinion, legitimizes the legislative option contained in the replacement text. and which is currently under specialty review by the Committee on Constitutional Affairs, Rights, Freedoms and Guarantees.

“I agree that medically assisted death is not punishable when it is practiced or carried out with the help of medical professionals by decision of a person superior, whose will is current and repeatedly confirmed, serious, free and clear, in a situation of great suffering, with final damage extreme severity or a serious and incurable disease?” is the proposed question.

For the SDP, this popular poll would give MPs “a clear and unambiguous mandate from voting citizens”, and they add that “the winning party in the last legislative elections [o PS] never even included this topic in his election program, neither in the legislature of 2022, nor in the previous ones.

In an explanatory memorandum, the PSD claims that “health care at death is highly divisive in Portuguese society” and that public debate has shown “that the issue is far from being peaceful and agreed upon among Portuguese citizens”.

Recognizing that this issue has been discussed in Parliament since the 13th convocation of the Legislative Assembly, the PSD believes that “it is hardly possible to recognize the existence of an effective proportional correspondence between the votes individually expressed by each deputy, arising from their individual conscience and moral norms and ethical, and the collective will of the majority voting citizens.

This Monday, the SDP President announced that the “tradition” of granting the right to vote in diplomas aimed at decriminalizing euthanasia would remain in place, but the discipline of voting on the “political issue” of the referendum would be respected.

However, Montenegro acknowledged that MPs, who have already publicly expressed a different position on the popular vote in this legislature, may demand the abolition of this voting discipline.

When the subject was in parliament for the last time, on June 9, it was still President Rui Rio – although Montenegro has already won direct elections, but will enter full powers only in early July – and the leader of the parliament, Paulo Mota Pinto.

On this occasion, the SDP court was given the freedom to vote on both the four legislative initiatives to decriminalize euthanasia and on Cheg’s draft resolution, which proposed a referendum on the following question: “Do you agree that death by a doctor of a person, by requesting or aiding suicide should still be criminalized?”

The project was rejected, but the overwhelming majority of the SDP bench (59 out of 70 socialist deputies who participated in the vote) voted for it, as well as 12 deputies from Chega.

According to the Parliament page, nine deputies voted against the PSD (along with PS, IL, PCP, BE, PAN and Livre): Rui Cruz, Rui Vilar, André Coelho Lima, Carlos Eduardo Reis, Monica Quintela, Paulo Mota Pinto (then leader of the Parliament, suspended), Sophia Matoš, Artur Soveral Andrade and Hugo Carvalho.

Social Democrat deputies Bruno Coimbra and Joana Barata López abstained.

The issue of a referendum on euthanasia caused controversy during Rui Río’s leadership both within the bench and in the party’s Jurisdictional Council, especially when a free vote for the CDS referendum project was granted in 2020, after which the PSD Congress approved the thematic proposal. in favor of a popular poll that same year.

Former SDP leader Pedro Passos Coelho and former President of the Republic Cavaco Silva were among the most critical voices in the party against the possibility of decriminalizing euthanasia.

According to the constitution, the Assembly of the Republic must vote and decide on a proposal for a referendum, which may arise at the initiative of deputies, parliamentary groups, government or groups of voting citizens.

If approved, the President of the Republic must submit a proposal for a referendum to the Constitutional Court for the purposes of preventive scrutiny, with the head of state being responsible for the final decision on whether or not to convene a popular poll.