Marcelo sees a ‘tired majority’ but still sees no ‘political alternative’ on the right

The President of the Republic considered this Thursday that the PS rules with a “tired majority” and that it has “an almost lost year”, but that there is still no “political alternative” in the right-wing opposition.

In an interview with RTP and Público previously recorded at the Belém Palace and published this Thursday evening by the two media outlets, Marcelo Rebelo de Souza confirmed the intention to “do everything to respect the legislature”, but this is not a renunciation of constitutional authority. dissolution.

“Now don’t ask me to say I’m giving up the ability to dissolve, I’m not giving it up. I do not refuse it in this sense: I am used to never saying never. imagination than our imagination,” stated.

“If things happen in this world that originate from another world, the president until September 9, 2025 – that is, another two years and six months – has the right to dissolve. Do you want to use it? I want” completed.

At the beginning of this interview, the head of state described the current PS majority, led by António Costa, as an “overheated majority” after six years in power and a “tired majority”.

On the other hand, he pointed out that the organic structure of the government was “designed for a period without war, therefore, concentrating on the portfolios of the prime minister and the president, such as, in addition to Europe, the digital transition taken from the economy. , administrative modernization, taken from the existing ministry, the management of funds is entrusted to the minister of the presidential apparatus.”

According to Marcelo Rebelo de Souza, after the war in Ukraine, “everything that was supposed to make the government active only started in September” 2022, and “until September, time was really lost, which then extended, with various internal vicissitudes of the government as a result of these circumstances “.

In his opinion, it was “practically a lost year”.

Regarding the TAP case, Marcelo Rebelo de Sousa warned that “the government must have the understanding that from now until the end of its functions it will be subject to very close scrutiny in matters such as the selection of political personnel, and well.”

“And that, naturally, there are high-ranking officials there, because after the prime minister, the finance minister is perhaps the most important minister in the government at the moment, and therefore the focus will be on him,” he continued.

The head of state advised Fernando Medina, as well as other ministers, to perform “an exercise to which he was not accustomed in Portugal, namely: to look back and point by point to see in his political and non-political speeches everything that was the past, if there is nothing that could cause problems.”

In this interview, the President of the Republic mentioned “the existence of an alternative” as a factor to be taken into account when considering a possible dissolution in the event of “the irregular functioning of the institutions, which assumes such proportions that it paralyzes the existence of the budget, makes it impossible to manage.”

Asked if there is an alternative in the opposition, he replied, citing recent public opinion polls: “Arithmetically yes, politically no. Arithmetically, most polls show that at this point, the centre-right and right-wing parties tend to have a higher percentage combined than political parties on the left, and this has been consistently above 45%.”

“Arithmetically, at the moment – and there are still three years before the elections – there is an alternative. But this is not a political alternative, because one of the parties says it refuses to negotiate with a third party. The Liberal Initiative refuses to reach an agreement with Enough, so the votes are not added, ”he continued.

On the other hand, Marcelo Rebelo de Sousa argued that “the alternative to be strong must be a leading party in the hemispheres, stronger than the others, clearly stronger” and mentioned that the current voting intentions in the PSD indicate “a weak alternative in leadership” .

However, the head of state did not rule out that SDP President Luis Montenegro would be “able to get there,” and added: “Dance whoever is in the circle. Whoever is in the circle now is the leader of the opposition party. Just enter one of them if those in the circle decide to leave the circle or dance in such a way as to leave room for another to enter: If not, there may be several who want to enter, who circle is not included.