Marcelo Rebelo de Sousa coordinated this Friday (16) at the Palace of Belém the meeting of the Council of State, on the theme “Less than a year before the European Parliament elections, perspectives on the current situation in Europe”, in which as guest Roberta Metsola, President of the European Parliament, participated.
At the end of the meeting, according to an information note, it was announced that the President of the Republic had invited Roberta Metsola to give an introductory presentation before the State Council on the perspectives on the current situation in Europe.
The exhibition was followed by interventions by State Councilors, who signaled the current situation of uncertainty, but also a challenge and demand, both on a European and global level.
The importance of the cohesion of the European Union was emphasized in view of the obstacles that arise, in particular human rights and the rule of law, associated with enlargement and its various consequences – political, institutional, economic and financial – in terms of policies of migrations, as well as climate change, energy, digital and artificial intelligence.
The rapprochement between Europeans and community institutions was also emphasized.
“In this context, the deep shock of last night’s boat tragedy of hundreds of migrants seeking a better life in Europe was expressed and underlined the importance of a migration policy more attuned to reality and human dignity. ” , can be read.
In short, “the need was expressed to deepen solutions for a dynamic European citizenship based on the values of the European Union”, the note released on the official website of the Presidency of the Republic also stated.
The President of the Regional Government of the Azores, José Manuel Bolieiro, the Ombudsman, Maria Lúcia Amaral, and Councilors António Damásio and António Lobo Xavier were absent from this meeting at the Palácio de Belém.
The president of the republic will meet again in July with the Council of State, after receiving the parties, to hear from the advisers “on the economic, social and political situation” of the country.
Marcelo Rebelo de Sousa innovated by inviting domestic and foreign personalities to meetings of the State Council and making them more frequent.
This was the 29th meeting of the Council of State he has chaired since taking office as head of state in March 2016, and the third in a row dedicated to European issues.
The previous one took place on March 29, with European funds, with the participation as a guest of European Commissioner Elisa Ferreira, who has the Cohesion and Reforms portfolio.
Constitution of the Council of State
The Council of State, which is chaired by the President of the Republic, has as its inherent members the holders of the offices of President of the Assembly of the Republic, Prime Minister, President of the Constitutional Court, Ombudsman, Presidents of Regional Governments and former Presidents of the Republic.
Under the Constitution, it also includes five citizens designated by the Head of State for the period corresponding to the term of office, and five elected by the Assembly of the Republic, in accordance with the principle of proportional representation, for the period corresponding with the duration of the legislature.
At the start of his second term, in March 2021, Marcelo Rebelo de Sousa appointed the writer Lídia Jorge as Councilor of State and reappointed four councillors: former CDS-PP leader António Lobo Xavier, former PSD president Luís Marques Mendes, the president of the Champalimaud Foundation, Leonor Beleza and the neuroscientist António Damásio.
Following the parliamentary elections of January 2022, the Assembly of the Republic in turn elected Carlos César, Manuel Alegre and António Sampaio da Nóvoa, nominated by the PS, Francisco Pinto Balsemão and Miguel Cadilhe, nominated by the PSD, to the Council of State.
Source: DN
