Chega was one of the parties that, in this and the previous term, joined the chorus of criticism at the end of the fortnightly debates with the Prime Minister (Prime Minister), but now that these debates have been re-established in the Rules of the Assembly of the Republic (AR), is the party that, with its initiative – the motion of censure of the government – postpones the entry into force of these debates by at least two months.
This was confirmed on Friday at the conference of parliamentary leaders. The first fortnight with the Prime Minister was originally scheduled for this month (the 27th), but the scheduling of Chega’s motion of censure for the 19th – it is a schedule that takes precedence over the others – canceled this. This is because, according to the new AR regulations, adopted during the previous parliamentary term, debates with the head of the executive in Parliament cannot take place “within fourteen days following the discussion of motions of confidence or motions of censure “. Therefore, the return of the fortnightly debates has been postponed today and has no date. This will only be decided at the leadership conference meeting next Wednesday the 20th.
Maria da Luz Rosinha, Socialist deputy, secretary of the table and spokesperson of the leadership conference, stressed that the new date “will have to be in line with the issue of the state budget” for 2024, which will be presented to the General Assembly. of the Republic on October 10 and about which the discussion will continue until early December. During the entire budget discussion period, remaining parliamentary work is suspended. Therefore, it is impossible to schedule a biweekly session before December. In any case, this does not mean that the Prime Minister will be completely absent from Parliament until then. António Costa will go to the plenary on the 19th to deal with Chega’s motion of censure; and then it will open and close the plenary debates on next year’s state budget (OE2024).
Taxes and housing
In the schedules created, the preparation of the agenda, requested by the PSD, on the topic “Tax Reduction” for the 20th was maintained.
On the 21st, the planned political declarations will take place, but the revision of the parliamentary decree vetoed by the President of the Republic, with measures in the field of housing, continues.
On the same day there will also be a debate on the state of the European Union and two petitions will be discussed. On the 27th, instead of the initially planned biweekly debate with the Prime Minister, political statements will take place.
Three layoffs
Also this Friday, the first plenary meeting of the second term of the current term took place in AR. The list of delegates underwent minor changes; the most important was the resignation of the former leader of the Left Bloc. Catarina Martins will be replaced by Isabel Pires, who was already deputy to BE in the previous legislature.
In the PSD, Joaquim Pinto Moreira – who became vice-chairman of the bank and chairman of the Eventual Constitutional Review Commission –, involved in ‘Operation Vórtex’, in which he is suspected of corruption, made way for economist Rosina Ribeiro. And in the PCP, historian Manuel Loff, elected by the Porto circle, was replaced by Jornal de Notícias journalist Alfredo Maia.
Reorganizations also took place at the PSD bank. The bank elected by secret ballot and by a large majority two new vice-presidents, Miguel Santos and Jorge Paulo Oliveira, as well as deputy António Prôa as coordinator of social democratic parliamentarians in the defense committee.
According to the released results, the two new vice presidents and António Prôa obtained 41 votes in favor, eight blank votes and 16 zero votes, out of a total of 71 voting alternates. Six deputies from his bench did not vote because they were on a parliamentary mission.
The proposed names, which replace the three Social Democratic Vice-Presidents who left the Assembly of the Republic during the first term, were voted on yesterday morning.
Miguel Santos, elected by Porto, was a deputy in the X, Jorge Paulo Oliveira, elected by Braga, has been a deputy since the twelfth term and was currently coordinator of the Defense Commission, a role that will now pass to António Prôa, elected by Lisbon. The PSD bank now has eleven vice presidents.
In recent months, Ricardo Baptista Leite, who suspended his mandate as deputy in mid-May, left the vice-presidency of the PSD bank in Switzerland to head an organization related to healthcare; Luís Gomes, who also left Parliament for professional reasons; and Joaquim Pinto Moreira, who left his position as “deputy” after it became known that he was under investigation in “Operation Vórtex”.
Source: DN
