The deputies will approve this Friday in committee and then on the 19th in plenary the amendments to the Rules of Procedure of the Assembly of the Republic, a legislative process that began at the end of March last year at the initiative of the left Blok.
The biweekly returns
The main novelty, which deserves broad consensus, is the return of bi-weekly debates with the Prime Minister (currently the Head of Government only has debates with deputies every two months).
Given the fortnightly model of debate that was once in place, the difference will be that the parties will no longer be able to use their global time freely, with a limited number of answers, varying according to representativeness, also making explicit the periods in which they will not take place. debates, such as during the State Budget or State of the Nation debate month.
Yesterday, at a meeting of the working group negotiating the joint text that will be voted on, Livre’s only deputy, Rui Tavares, ironized that the correct metaphor is that the debates cannot be compared to a ping pong, of monosyllabic questions and answers, but at a tennis match. “There are alternative services and there is a limit of them set for each party. It seems appropriate and allows for a smoother debate,” he said.
PSD deputy Duarte Pacheco opined that the proposal “is the result of common sense prevailing” in the search for “the broadest possible consensus”. “If you want to find a solution and not impose a solution, we should all be available to relinquish some points in favor of that consensus,” he said, also welcoming the end of the second round in the current model of bimonthly debates, which “turned out to be a nightmare”.
Pedro Delgado Alves, from the PS, added that “the absence of a second round frees up space to insert the European debate” with the Prime Minister whenever they coincide in time, stressing that in these cases there is an immediate response will come from the head of government to each party (and not just ultimately).
IL deputy Patrícia Gilvaz also welcomed the return of bi-weekly debates, especially in the context of an absolute majority, saying that “they should never have ceased to exist”.
During the meeting, Chega did not comment, the only member of the PAN was not present and the PCP only made a suggestion about the debates with sectoral ministers, who will attend the plenary session at a rate of one per month.
Remote voting…
The new Rules will capture what has been learned during the pandemic and will also allow delegates to vote remotely.
“In exceptional cases, dictated by the impossibility of physical presence in the chamber of the deputy, in particular because of the presence on a parliamentary mission abroad, and upon prior request, the President of the Assembly of the Republic may authorize the remote voting shall be exercised, using remote communication means by which the vote cast can be viewed and recorded, when the form of voting is by stand-up and sitting down or by nominal vote,” the text reads.
Also, when it comes to electronic voting in plenary – mandatory for organic laws, for example – the alternate who is not present in the meeting room “is called by name by the Board of Directors to indicate his vote, which is counted among the votes cast .” using the electronic system”.
For example, the PS recently asked for a postponement of the vote on the military programming and military infrastructure laws – which require an absolute majority of 116 deputies – because several deputies were absent from the bench due to parliamentary obligations abroad.
…and early voting
The Rules of Procedure will also provide, for the same exceptional situations, that Members may vote early in the elections of external bodies – provided that the lists of candidates have already been delivered – and leave the ballot paper in a sealed envelope with the services. At the meeting of the working group last week, the Rules of Procedure had already been discussed, without major objections, in which the remote functioning of the plenary or committees “in exceptional cases, and the possibility of remote participation of deputies in parliamentary meetings” is recognised. when this is justified by difficult transport, absence on a parliamentary mission, illness or impossibility of physical presence or any other justified reason, if notified in advance”.
Source: DN
