Marcelo dissolves parliament. Antonio Costa is in government until the next elections on March 10.

The President of the Republic announced this Thursday the dissolution of Parliament after a meeting with the Council of State at the Belém Palace. At stake is the scenario of the political crisis the country has entered into due to the investigation.is working on lithium and green hydrogen projects, leading to the chief executive’s resignation on Tuesday after the State Department said he was the subject of an independent Supreme Court investigation.

Marcelo Rebelo de Sousa said that Antonio Costa will remain in government until the next elections, scheduled for March 10, 2024.

The Prime Minister’s resignation will be formalized in December, and the State Budget (GB) for 2024 will be approved in advance.

The head of state expressed gratitude to António Costa for his eight years of rule and for all the political and social problems that he had to face during this journey.

“This is the first time in a democracy that a Prime Minister has learned that he will be subject to an autonomous Supreme Court process,” he began.

“I hope that time, more quickly than slowly, will allow us to clarify what happened, respecting the presumption of innocence, protecting the good name, promoting justice and strengthening the democratic rule of law,” he said.

Marcelo explained that he tried to shorten the decision-making process as much as possible, without ignoring existing conditions, such as the time needed to replace the leader of the Socialist Party.

“By returning the word to the people, without dramatization. I tried to reduce as much as possible the time required to make a decision to dissolve parliament and call elections (…) Now it’s a matter of looking ahead, studying the pace, choosing people’s representatives.“, he repeated.

The President of the Republic stressed the need to create a government with the ideas of “the future, pluralism and democracy” and said that he trusted the Portuguese to make the next choice.

“As always Portuguese, I trust you. In your sanity, freedom and common sense,” concluded Marcelo.

See five reasons for Marcelo’s decision

Marcelo listed in his speech this Thursday five reasons why he wanted to hold legislative elections on March 10, 2024. own leadership, candidacy, election campaign and overwhelming victory”

The second reason, as Marcelo argues, is “the weakness of forming a new government with the same majority but with any other prime minister not legitimized by popular vote.”

The third reason relates to “the risk already observed in the past that this weakness could lead to a delay in dissolution until a worse moment.”

Fourth, Marcelo talks about “the irreplaceable guarantee of economic and social stability that the approval of OE2024 provides until the dismissal of the Prime Minister at the beginning of December.”

Fifth and finally, the President of the Republic believes that the legislative elections in March will provide “greater clarity and direction to overcome the unexpected emptiness that has surprised and alarmed so many Portuguese who have enjoyed eight years of leadership” of the Socialist Party Government.

REACTIONS

PSD

Social Democratic Party (PSD) leader Luis Montenegro said Marcelo’s decision was inevitable given the “political quagmire” the country finds itself in under the leadership of the Socialist Party.

“This is already the third political quagmire that the Socialist Party has created in the country. We need to turn the page and look to the future. ANDWe hope that this process may result in a new government with new policies and greater ability to solve the problems of Portuguese society.“, said the Social Democrat.

Montenegro guaranteed it could restore an atmosphere of trust and hope in Portugal and said that while it would rather have a bad government budget than no government budget, it would propose an amendment.

HE’S ARRIVING

President Chegi said that now, after the announcement of the dissolution of the Assembly of the Republic, none of the right-wing parties have an excuse not to fight for a parliamentary majority, and assured that their goal is to win the next elections. .

Andre Ventura welcomed the decision of the President of the Republic, but expressed dissatisfaction with the fact that elections will take place only after the approval of the OE. He also said that the party will present proposals to amend the document.

“We welcome the decision to dissolve parliament, as it was the only chance to solve the problems that the PS government has allowed to create and increase in Portugal,” he stressed.

BE

Pedro Filipe Soares, a deputy from the Bloc de Esquerda, deplored the endorsement of the OE “so bad that it is now supported by right-wing parties.”

“In democracy, problems are solved by elections. We have no fear, on the contrary, we have all the courage for the next elections,” he emphasized.

The blocker also said that BE recognizes that, despite the preference for early elections, in a democracy “the value of everyone who is ready for it prevails.”

PCP

Paula Santos of the Portuguese Communist Party said the elections should be held earlier, largely because the date chosen allows for the approval of the OE.

“In our opinion, we understand that these elections should be held earlier. We understand that there is no justification for delaying them in the name of a state budget that does not respond to the problems that affect workers, people and the country,” he said.

“In any case, while the budget debate continues, the PKP will certainly intervene with proposals, with concrete solutions to respond to problems, with proposals in the sense that they improve living conditions, strengthen public services, guarantee the rights enshrined in our Constitution.” , he said.

FOR FREE

Livre’s sole deputy warned that Portugal was facing a “regime crisis” and not just a political crisis that could be resolved through elections, given that the “budget process is empty.”

“It’s impossible to sugarcoat the pill: what we have before us, we wish it were just a political crisis that could be resolved through elections. This is more serious, this is a regime crisis to which we all must contribute. to overcome,” said Ruy Tavares.

POT

Pan Party leader Ines Sosúa Real assured that the party will continue to present proposals to improve the situation in the OE and asked the Portuguese people to be active in the next elections.

Read the full speech

Portuguese,

For the first time in the history of democracy, a sitting Prime Minister learned, as part of proceedings related to an ongoing investigation into third parties, some of whom were his employees and others not, that he would be the subject of an autonomous trial. , which will be carried out under the jurisdiction of the Supreme Court.

He resigned immediately, citing reasons of dignity necessary to continue his current mandate.

First of all, I want to emphasize the sublimity of this gesture and its transmission to the Portuguese.

I also want to testify to the service to the public cause over the decades, especially during the long and very difficult years of overcoming excessive deficits, bank cleanups, pandemics and wars in Ukraine and the Middle East, led by the Portuguese Government.

I would also like to thank you for your willingness to serve until replacement in accordance with constitutional conditions.

I hope that time, more quickly than slowly, will allow us to clarify what happened while respecting the presumption of innocence, protecting the good name, promoting justice and strengthening the democratic rule of law.

Portuguese,

Called upon to resolve the scenario created by the resignation of the government as a result of the dismissal of the Prime Minister, I spoke in favor of dissolving the Assembly of the Republic and calling elections for March 10, 2024.

I did this by listening to the parties with seats in Parliament and the Council of State, as required by the constitution. The first is clearly in favor, the second with a draw and, therefore, not in favor of dissolution. The situation, in fact, has already happened in the past with other heads of state.

Therefore, I did this by my own decision in the exercise of the powers granted by the Constitution of the Portuguese Republic.

And I did it for countless reasons.

The first is the nature of the 2022 election vote, personalized to the Prime Minister, based on his own leadership, candidacy, campaign and landslide victory.

That’s what he said on March 30 last year in the government’s inaugural speech, talking about a possible midway replacement. Emphasizing the cost of great victories, which are inevitably personal and intentionally personalized.

The second is the weakness of forming a new government with the same majority, but with any other prime minister, therefore, not politically and personally legitimate by popular vote.

Thirdly, there is the risk, already observed in the past, that this weakness will lead to a simple postponement of dissolution until a worse moment, with a more critical situation and a more unpredictable outcome. Until then, the government will live as a presidential government, that is, with the support of the President of the Republic and the President of the Republic as an inspiring supporter. All this weakens the role of the president in a sensitive period when he should be, first of all, an internal and external guide.

Fourth, the guarantee of the necessary economic and social stability, which is ensured by a preliminary vote on the state budget for 2024, even before the resignation of the current Prime Minister is formalized, in early December. The approval of the budget will meet the expectations of many Portuguese and will monitor the implementation of the PDP, which does not and cannot stop either with the transition from the government to the governing government, or later with the dissolution of the government. Assembly of the Republic.

Fifth, greater clarity and a more energetic direction to overcome the unexpected void that has surprised and disturbed so many self-loving Portuguese who find themselves after eight years of uninterrupted government leadership. Thus returning the word to the people. No dramatization or fear.

This is the strength of democracy. Don’t be afraid of the People.

Portuguese,

I have tried to present this solution as briefly as possible. For example, dissolution and calling elections. And if it was not possible to reduce it, then this is due to the process of changing leadership in the Government Party, as happened in the past.

Now it is a matter of looking forward, picking up the pace, choosing the representatives of the people and the government that will emerge as a result of the elections.

A government that seeks to ensure stability and economic, social and cultural progress, in conditions of freedom, pluralism and democracy.

A government with a vision for the future, taking on what has already been done, finishing what needs to be done, innovating what remains to be achieved.

As always, Portuguese, I believe in You, in Your patriotism, in Your democratic spirit, in Your experience, in Your common sense, in Your freedom. As always, you – and only you – are the decisive factor in the future of our Portugal.