The biweekly debates on general policy, with the presence of the Prime Minister, will even take place again. But with differences: unlike what happened before, there is a limit to the number of times parties can intervene in each session, with PS and PSD (the only ones to have a total time equal to or greater than 10 minutes to question the Prime Minister) no more than seven questions to Costa. Until now, this time management has been done freely. The other groups, who have less than ten minutes for questions, will have a maximum of five interventions at their disposal. Some deputies can do it twice. Any intervention is immediately followed by the Prime Minister’s response, who has the same amount of time to respond. The intention is that this model will enter into force during the next legislature, which will start in September.
These changes are included in a text agreed between PS and PSD for the revision of the rules, released by Lusa. The reformulation of the model of debates with the Prime Minister was the main reason for this revision. With the consensus between the two major parties, this ends the current formula, which brings António Costa to the Assembly of the Republic every two months – subject to rare exceptions, such as the tabling of censure motions or preparatory debates before the European Council. This model has changed, also with the consensus between PS and PSD, in 2020.
In addition, there will also be times when the biweekly sessions do not take place: in the month in which the Government Program is presented (this happens once per legislature); the month of the State of the Nation debate (usually in July); during the discussion period on the national budget (between October and the end of November); and also within two weeks of discussion and vote on motions of confidence or disapproval to the Executive.
However, the changes to the Rules are more far-reaching. According to a version with proposed changes to the document, which the DN had access to, there is also the need to register a strengthening of the rights of deputies only party representatives (In this legislature there are two: Inês Sousa Real, from PAN, and Rui Tavares, from Livre). The text – the revision of which extends to Article 213 – reveals that, contrary to what is happening now, individual delegates can now intervene in most debates, participate in the leaders’ conference, schedule up to five nominations per legislative session, and have two potestative debates (which are urgent in nature) and as many pending.
In the message he sent with the distribution of this text (which does not contain any reference to the model of debates with the Prime Minister), the coordinator of the working group, Pedro Delgado Alves (PS deputy), states that in this case, the document seeks to align “consensual points” between all parties, providing a basis that “enables us to work at the first meeting [que acontece amanhã, quinta-feira] and further”and can later join “those who are missing to the end”.
This document further stipulates that “each parliamentary group has the right to make a political statement at least once every two weeks(currently allowed once a week), which lasts up to six minutes. As for individual deputies, the amendment will give them the right to make six political statements (one more than hitherto) per legislature session and any deputy unregistered (as happened with Joacine Katar Moreira and Cristina Rodrigues in the previous legislature, who left Livre and PAN respectively) can do it twice, as already happens, but with a maximum duration of six minutes.
The proposed amendments to the Rules of Procedure also suggest that votes, particularly on the state budget, could be done “using an electronic platform that allows for the submission and tabulation of votes”, something that will still have to be settled “in deliberation of the plenary, on the proposal of the President of the Assembly of the Republicafter hearing the competent standing committee”.
According to the proposed amendment, “in exceptional cases, duly justified, authorized by the President of the Assembly of the Republic”, the same applies to plenary sessions, committees or other parliamentary bodies. Delegates may also participate remotely, “when justified by transport difficulties, or absence from a parliamentary mission, illness or impossibility of physical presence or other legitimate reason, as long as this has been communicated in advance”. The new Rules will also include that political groups must now inform parliamentary days at least two weeks in advance. AND, unless everyone agrees, two parties will not be able to hold parliamentary meetings at the same time.
With Lusa
Source: DN
