The President of the Republic, Marcelo Rebelo de Sousa, expressed concern today about a possible new rate hike by the European Central Bank (ECB), due to the “still relatively high” inflation in the European Union.

Marcelo Rebelo de Sousa spoke to journalists at the Belém Palace, on the sidelines of the Book Festival that started on Thursday, and commented on the inflation data, starting by saying that “there are international signs that are already starting to get a little worrying.” namely the “still relatively high” inflation in some European countries.

Marcelo pointed out that the European average is 5.5%, a value higher than Portugal’s (3.7%), and stressed that the country is in a “much better situation than the European average” in relative terms.

“But this means that if Europe is like this, and stays like this, what is the outcome I fear, and what we all fear? Is that the ECB? [Banco Central Europeu] there could be pressure for another rate hike, and we were now expecting a breakthrough in September,” he said.

The Portuguese head of state is waiting for other figures to be released, but he stressed that this would not be “good news” for all Portuguese who have contracts with the bank and may face an increase in mortgage repayments.

The year-on-year rate of change in the consumer price index (CPI) increased to 3.7% in August, up 0.6 percentage points from July, according to the flash estimate released today by the National Statistics Institute (INE).

Does not comment on possible successors

Marcelo Rebelo de Sousa, on the other hand, declined to comment on potential presidential candidates, pointing out that neither did his predecessors, and indicated that he does not intend to comment on national politics after his term in office.

“I have nothing to say about the next president of the republic,” he began saying after being questioned by journalists.

Marcelo Rebelo de Sousa pointed out that “as already” his predecessors did, “the President of the Republic “cannot and must not talk about candidacies, candidacies for candidacies, presidential elections”.

“This is a case that makes no sense. Neither President Eanes, nor President Soares, nor President Sampaio, nor President Cavaco have taken a position on these matters, and well, it is a good line that I will follow,” he said .

The President of the Republic also stated that when he leaves office, he intends “not to comment on Portuguese policy subsequently”.

Faced with the insistence of journalists, Marcelo Rebelo de Sousa pointed out that “all native Portuguese citizens, over 35 years old, have this right” to run for president.

“I don’t know how many there will be, but there are a lot of them,” he added.

On Sunday, former PSD leader Luís Marques Mendes allowed a presidential candidacy “if it is useful for the country”.

On this occasion, the President of the Republic was also asked about the Union of All Education Professionals (Stop)’s call for a week-long strike in September.

Marcelo Rebelo de Sousa started by saying that the right to strike is “a right of workers and unions”.

“What we all want is for the new school year to meet the expectations of students, parents, teachers and education agents of Portuguese society, after the two pandemics, after a pandemic that was partial, just a partial, and also more intermittent, as you like, or with disparities in the management of school time between schools, that this will not happen next school year”.