SDP MPs will have an orientation “consistent with voting discipline” in favor of the proposed referendum on euthanasia, but exceptions will be allowed.
“We have a position in the PSD, which is a tradition and which we are going to maintain regarding the main issue, there is complete freedom, and in the political issue there is an orientation that corresponds to the observance of electoral discipline,” said the President of the PSD, Luis Montenegro, at a press conference, announcing, that the panel will propose to hold a referendum on the decriminalization of death with the help of a doctor.
However, the social democratic leader emphasized that there would be a “nuance”: “Since this issue has already been the subject of discussion, with the draft and another issue, in this legislative session with these deputies, I have already asked the chairman of the group of deputies, who can evaluate possible requests for the removal of the electoral discipline with deputies who had a public expression of a different meaning.
“Decisions made under the previous leadership, which are the historical legacy of the party, must be respected,” he said, referring to the freedom of vote granted by former President Rui Rio to the draft referendum on the issue proposed by Chega. .
On June 9 of this year, the Assembly of the Republic “failed” Chega’s draft resolution, which called for a referendum on the decriminalization of violent death.
At the same time, the overwhelming majority of the SDP bench – 59 deputies out of 70 who participated in the vote – voted in favor, along with 12 deputies from Chega.
Among the PSD MPs who voted against the referendum were the then leader of Parliament, Paulo Mota Pinto, whose mandate was suspended, and MP Andre Coelho Lima.
The vote did not include then-PSD President Rui Rio, who traveled to South Africa and Mozambique to note on June 10 that previous votes had been against the euthanasia referendum and in favor of decriminalization.
According to the constitution, the Assembly of the Republic must vote and decide on a proposal for a referendum at the initiative of deputies, parliamentary groups, the government, or groups of constituencies.
If approved, the President of the Republic submits a proposal for a referendum to the Constitutional Court for the purpose of a preventive review of constitutionality and legality, and the final decision is made by the head of state.
Author: Portuguese
Source: CM Jornal
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