The President of the Republic has convened a meeting of the Council of State for this Monday, hearing the parties represented in the Parliament of the Azores, following the failure of the regional budget for 2024.
On November 30, a note published on the official website of the President of the Republic on the Internet stated that Marcelo Rebelo de Sousa, after listening to the parties, decided to convene a meeting of the Council of State in the Palacio de Belem.
The note notes that on this day the parties were heard “on the political situation in the Autonomous Region of the Azores following the non-approval of the budget for 2024, including, in particular, on the issue contained in the provisions of paragraph j) of article 133 of the Constitution of the Portuguese Republic.”
According to Article 133(j) of the Constitution, the President of the Republic is responsible for “the dissolution of the Legislative Assemblies of the Autonomous Regions after consultation with the Council of State and the parties represented therein.”
At the end of the hearing, Azores Executive President José Manuel Boleiro of the PSD and the other two parties in the government coalition, CDS-PP and PPM, defended holding early regional elections, given the prospect of new leadership if a second draft regional budget for 2024 is presented.
The Council of State is headed by the head of state and consists, in essence, of persons holding the positions of the President of the Assembly of the Republic, the Prime Minister, the President of the Constitutional Court, the Ombudsman, the heads of regional governments and former presidents. Republic.
According to the provisions of the Constitution, this consultative body also includes five citizens appointed by the Head of State – António Lobo Xavier, Luis Márquez Mendes, Leonor Belesa, Antonio Damasio and Lydia Jorge – and five citizens elected by the Assembly of the Republic, who are currently Carlos Cesar. Manuel Alegre, António Sampaio da Novoa, Francisco Pinto Balseman and Miguel Cadille.
The budget proposal of the Azores was rejected on November 23 with overall votes against PS, BE and IL and abstentions by Chega and PAN, receiving only positive votes from the three parties that make up the regional government, PSD, CDS. -PP and PPM, as well as independent MP Carlos Furtado, former Chega.
Article 15 of Law 79/98 on the Framework Budget of the Autonomous Region of the Azores provides that if the Regional Legislative Assembly does not approve the region’s budget proposal, “the regional government must submit to the Regional Legislative Assembly a new budget proposal for the relevant economic year within 90 days from day of deviation.”
The executive, led by José Manuel Bolheiro, no longer enjoys the support of the parliamentary majority, since in March this year one of the two deputies elected by Chega became independent, and the Liberal Initiative MP violated the relevant agreement on parliamentary influence.
The PSD/CDS-PP/PPM coalition government maintains a parliamentary protection agreement with Chegi’s now sole deputy in the Azores parliament.
Author: Lusa
Source: CM Jornal
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