The President of the Republic announced an amendment to the Statute of Deputies, emphasizing that it involves retroactive expenses.

The President of the Republic promulgated this Wednesday an amendment to the Statute of Deputies on daily subsistence allowances, emphasizing that it involves “an increase in parliamentary expenses in 2025, with retroactive effect to 2023”, but it was approved unanimously.

This decree of the Assembly of the Republic, approved in a final global vote unanimously on January 11, adds participation in meetings of parliamentary groups and individual deputies, in subcommittees and working groups to the list of parliamentary work covered by the corresponding allowance for deputies living in the country. outside the municipalities of Lisbon, Oeiras, Cascais, Loures, Sintra, Vila Franca de Xira, Almada, Seixal, Barreiro, Amadora and Odivelas.

This amendment to the Statute of Deputies has retroactive effect from the date of entry into force of the latest version of the Rules of Procedure of the Assembly of the Republic, September 15 last year, the beginning of the second legislative session of the current year. Legislature.

The Head of State, Marcelo Rebelo de Sousa, announced this Wednesday the promulgation of this decree through an entry on the official website of the President of the Republic on the Internet.

“Since this diploma, unanimously approved on the eve of the long-declared dissolution of Parliament, was approved by deputies from all parties, and despite the postponement of the increase in parliamentary expenses in 2025 with retroactive effect to 2023, the President of the Republic promulgated a decree of the Assembly of the Republic introducing the sixteenth amendment to the Statute of Deputies , approved by Law No. 7/93 of March 1, adapting it to the changes made by Decree of the Assembly of the Republic No. 1/2023, August 9,” the note says.

The Statute of Deputies has already granted deputies living outside the municipalities of Lisbon, Oeiras, Cascais, Loures, Sintra, Vila Franca de Xira, Almada, Seixal, Barreiro, Amadora and Odivelas “the right to benefits established for members of the government.” paid for each day of attendance at plenary sessions, committee meetings or other meetings convened by the President of the Assembly of the Republic, as well as for two additional days per week.”

Following the promulgation of the amendment, they are now “entitled to the allowance established for members of the government, paid for each day of attendance at parliamentary work in the Assembly of the Republic, namely in plenary sessions, committees, subcommittees, working groups, meetings held by parliamentary groups and deputies representing exclusively by party or convened by the President of the Assembly of the Republic in accordance with the conditions established by the Rules of Procedure of the Assembly of the Republic, plus two days a week.”

The decree was based on the PS bill adapting the Statute of Deputies to the changes introduced by the Standing Orders.

It had a unanimous vote on the general, specialized and general final votes held on 11 January at the last plenary session of that legislature, four days before the dissolution of the Assembly of the Republic and the formal convening of the proposed legislative elections. March 10 by the President of the Republic.

At the last plenary session of the XV Legislative Assembly, deputies also approved discussions and a joint project to clarify interpretive doubts regarding the rules of the new Standing Orders, which came into force in September, including exceptional cases where deputies can participate in parliamentary work remotely. allowed.