The Prime Minister, António Costa, said on Friday that he was “honored and grateful” by the “friendly” statements of the President of the Republic, Marcelo Rebelo de Sousa, that he was his favorite in the PS and that he could lead the European Council.
“I am not going to comment on statements that I do not know but that are apparently nice and for that I am honored and grateful,” António Costa said in Brussels at the end of a two-day European Council.
The President of the Republic declared on Thursday that António Costa was his favorite to lead the PS, held him responsible for his resignation and believed that he has the conditions to preside over the European Council and that he would also be a good presidential candidate .
Asked if he had a favorite in the PS leadership campaign, the head of state replied: “Ah, I do. It was Dr. António Costa. He was my favorite. He was what I would have preferred.”
When asked if he regrets the decision he made, Marcelo Rebelo de Sousa held the Prime Minister responsible for his dismissal: ‘No, the one who made the decision was Dr. António Costa. He was the one who decided to leave, it wasn’t me. He decided to leave because of the circumstances we know.”
“He told me he was leaving. It was not I who said to him: look, go away. No, he said to me: in view of this, I cannot conscientiously stay,” continued Marcelo Rebelo de Sousa. “The decision I made afterwards was a consequence and not a cause of his decision,” he emphasized.
Faced with Francisco Assis’s opinion that António Costa would be very useful as President of the European Council, the President of the Republic agreed: “Ah, but I have no doubts about it. The Prime Minister has exceptional European prestige, and speaking to elements of the different European political groups it is clear that he meets the conditions to be President of the European Council himself, so he understands that he meets the internal conditions.”
Regarding a possible candidacy of António Costa for the presidency of the republic, Marcelo Rebelo de Sousa replied: “You have to ask Doctor António Costa. He is the one who has to choose the future because he has several possible futures. Not me, I have to manage this immediate future of about two years.”
“They ask me: would he be a good presidential candidate after two years? I say: yes, if he is not President of the European Council in the meantime. If he is President of the European Council, he cannot be both. at the same time,” he added.
According to the President of the Republic, it would not have been possible to prevent António Costa from resigning: “How do you stop someone who is very deeply, very deeply convinced that that is the only right way out in his life? is impossible, it is impossible.”
Source: DN
