The parliamentary leader of Livre refused this Wednesday to give a literal interpretation of the Rules of Parliament in order to prevent deputies from greeting the public present in the galleries and watching the plenary debates.
Speaking to reporters, Isabel Méndez López said that the idea to prevent deputies from “interacting” with the public present in the galleries was put forward by the President of the Assembly of the Republic, José Pedro Aguiar-Branco, during a conference of parliamentary leaders.
“The question was raised about the interaction of deputies with citizens present in the galleries, and whether deputies can greet them. This topic, from our point of view, is absurd. Livre deputies always greet citizens in the galleries in their speeches,” he said. said.
Contrary to the interpretation of the Rules of Procedure, which she considers “literal”, Isabel Méndez López stated that “in all legislative bodies, it has always been parliamentary practice for the deputies to greet” the audience present.
Article 89 of the Standing Orders states that “speakers address the President and the Assembly and, as a rule, must remain standing.”
Referring to the President of the Assembly of the Republic, José Pedro Aguiar-Branco, Isabel Méndez López considered the discussion of this issue “all the more absurd when just a few weeks ago freedom of expression was discussed and the question of whether deputies even had the right to insult third parties.”
“Now there are those who understand that deputies cannot welcome third parties present at the plenary session. From the point of view of the Livre, there is no point in holding this discussion in the Assembly of the Republic,” he said.
On this occasion, the representative of the leadership conference, Social Democratic deputy Jorge Paulo Oliveira limited himself to the assumption that this issue became the subject of “reflection” this Wednesday.
“But no decision was made on this matter. That is, the conference of leaders did not involve any interpretation of Article 89 of the Rules of Procedure of the Assembly of the Republic,” he added.