President of the Republic Marcelo Rebelo de Sousa on Tuesday swore in conductor Joano Carneiro as State Councilor, replacing António Damácio, who resigned from his post.
This inauguration ceremony, held at the Belém Palace, was published in a note on the official website of the President of the Republic on the Internet, accompanied by photographs.
Last Thursday, the President of the Republic announced that the neuroscientist António Damásio had tendered his resignation “for personal reasons” from the position of State Councilor to which he had been appointed by Marcelo Rebelo de Sousa.
In his place, Marcelo Rebelo de Sousa decided to appoint conductor Joano Carneiro to the political body to consult with the president.
António Damásio’s resignation as State Councilor came after Expresso newspaper reported that a Constitutional Court ruling determined that the neuroscientist is required to provide asset and income declarations that the law imposes on those holding public office.
According to Expresso, António Damasio has never transferred them since taking over as State Counselor in April 2017, replacing António Guterres, claiming to have dual citizenship and income and assets abroad.
Conductor Joana Carneiro, born in 1976, led the Portuguese Symphony Orchestra for eight years and was music director of the Berkeley Symphony Orchestra in the United States.
She is currently the chief guest of the Real Philharmonic of Galicia and artistic director of the Gulbenkian stage for orchestra.
The five members of the State Council appointed by Marcelo Rebelo de Souza are now Leonor Belesa, António Lobo Xavier, Lydia Jorge, Luis Márquez Mendes and Joana Carneiro.
The members of this advisory body, headed by the head of state, are essentially persons occupying the positions of the President of the Assembly of the Republic, the Prime Minister, the President of the Constitutional Court, the Ombudsman, the chairmen of regional governments and former presidents of the Republic.
According to the terms of the Constitution, it also includes five citizens appointed by the head of state for a period corresponding to the term of his mandate, and five citizens elected by the Assembly of the Republic for a period corresponding to the term of office of the legislature.