PS will draw a “red line” in parliamentary speech at the leaders’ conference

The PS suggested that a conference of parliamentary leaders discuss how freedom of expression in parliament should be reconciled with “red lines” such as “hate speech” or racist remarks, to which Aguiar-Branco agreed.

At the end of the sectoral debate with Minister Miguel Pinto Luz, PS parliamentary leader Alexandra Leitan asked the parliamentary bureau to refer to an incident recorded minutes earlier when the Chegi leader said that Turks “were not known for being the hardest working people in the world” and the president The Assembly of the Republic refused to censor the freedom of speech of any deputy.

The PS deputy reported that, according to the Rules of Procedure of the Assembly of the Republic, the President of Parliament is obliged to warn the Speaker when he “deviates from the topic under discussion or when the speech becomes offensive or insulting, and can remove him from the Speaker.”

“We know that freedom of expression is a fundamental principle that must be compatible with other principles such as the good name or dignity of any person, race or ethnicity,” he defended.

Stressing that the Criminal Code contains the crime of inciting hatred, Alexandra Leitan considered that Friday’s debate had set a “serious precedent” and announced that she would bring the topic to the leaders’ conference.

“Deputies rightfully enjoy immunity for what they say here, which should give them greater responsibility. It is the President who must, with due respect, ensure that all red lines are not crossed,” he said, receiving applause from everyone on the left and PAN.

Aguiar-Branco agreed to consider the issue at a conference of parliamentary leaders, but said that “in the richness of democracy and law” he might think differently.

“My red line is never between the presence or absence of freedom of expression. The democratic judgment will be made by the Portuguese people, as I understand it,” he said.

Cega President Andre Ventura accused the PS of not having lost its old habits since he was Assembly President Augusto Santos Silva, who believed he was not elected because of “that kind of attitude.”

“I believe that I did not make any racist or xenophobic statements (…) If the Lisbon prosecutor’s office understands that what I did here was a racist act, no immunity is needed, I will go there myself,” he said. stated.

The parliamentary leader of the PSD, Hugo Soares, said that he does not see himself in the position of Aguiar-Branco, nor in the position of the left benches that support the position of the PS, saying that “it is thanks to these episodes that populism is gaining momentum.” , but agreed to discuss the topic at the next leadership conference.

“How is it possible that someone who wanted to sentence the President of the Republic to ten years in prison for exercising freedom of expression came to this House to invoke freedom of speech, to say what he wants and how he wants,” asked Hugo Soares, in the criticism of Chegi applauded by the PS bench.

On the left, the parliamentary leaders of BE, PCP and Livre, as well as the sole PAN MP, supported the PS position, while blocker Fabian Figueiredo asked for a leaders’ conference to be convened “as soon as possible”.

“I will not stop discussing this topic at the leadership conference, and if I am convinced otherwise, very well, but it will not be the atmosphere of the Assembly that will determine my thinking,” Aguiar-Branco warned at the end of the conference. a series of questions at the table, which took place in a tense atmosphere and with constant interruptions.

IL was the only party that did not ask to speak, and only CDS-PP parliamentary leader Paulo Nuncio said he supported Aguiar-Branco’s point of view.

“We also don’t follow the hate speech from the left benches when they say foreigners can’t buy houses in Portugal. “.

“I think he meant the President of the Assembly of the Republic. There will be no mistake by the media, and tomorrow they will say that I am a candidate for President of the Republic,” Aguiar-Branco joked.