The President of the Republic opined on Wednesday that there is “a climate of emotional and institutional stability” in Portugal, stating that “democracy is stronger than vicissitudes” and that “dictatorship will never happen again.”
Marcelo Rebelo de Sousa spoke at the Palácio de Belém, in Lisbon, during a session in which he extended greetings to the Assembly of the Republic, attended by representatives of all parties with parliamentary seats: PS, PSD, Chega, Liberal Initiative, PCP, BE, PAN and Livre.
“Thank you very much for coming. This means that tradition continues, democracy is stronger than vicissitudes – which in fact have the duty to complete and enrich it and not exactly question it or fade it away,” the head of state said.
In his intervention, the President of the Republic did not expressly refer to the current political situation, with Parliament about to be dissolved on January 15 and parliamentary elections scheduled for March 10, following the resignation of the Prime Minister, António Costa, due to a court ruling. research.
After listening to the President of the Assembly of the Republic, Augusto Santos Silva, predicting that next year “will be very demanding from a political point of view, also for the President of the Republic”, Marcelo Rebelo de Sousa noted: “I can” I don’t need to say more. This is actually going to be a very intense year, both indoors and outdoors.”
Internally, the President of the Republic added that “the people will decide” and that the expectation “is that the year 2024 will correspond to what the Portuguese people desire”.
“It is a great pleasure that you are following a tradition here and demonstrating the strength of Portuguese democracy. In addition to the liveliness of the debates, the proposals and the positions, the fact is that there is an emotional and institutional climate that characterizes the maturity of a democracy that has existed for 50 years since April 25,” he insisted.
“This is also present in our minds, with different sensitivities. Especially the elderly remind us what it was like to live under a dictatorship, what it was like to live with censorship, with repression,” continued Marcelo Rebelo de Sousa. conclude: “There is something we know and we never want another dictatorship”.
Santos Silva foresees a “very demanding year” for the President of the Republic
According to the President of the General Assembly of the Republic, Augusto Santos Silva, 2024 “will be a very demanding year also from a political point of view, including for the President of the Republic, but it will be a year in which the electorate, the political forces, institutions will deal wisely with the wisdom and also with the harmony that characterizes our democracy.”
In a short intervention, lasting about two and a half minutes, in the Ambassador’s Chamber of the Palace of Belém, Santos Silva began by thanking “all the excellent institutional cooperation and personal dedication and sympathy” that the Head of State “has dedicated to Parliament, to all the political forces represented in Parliament” and for his supervision of the debate, his supervision and its legislative activities.
“We would like to thank you for this, I thank you on behalf of everyone, because obviously this institutional cooperation and the excellence on the agenda is really a great asset of the Portuguese democracy, very consolidated in the Portuguese democracy, but to which your excellence has added a personal touch , affective and even emotional, which we can capture with great pleasure,” he stated.
Afterwards, Santos Silva wished Marcelo Rebelo de Sousa and his family “a good Christmas season”, which “goes smoothly, without worries, with all the joy that characterizes it”.
“And I also wish 2024 an excellent year. It will be a very demanding year from a political point of view, including for the President of the Republic. But it will be a year that the electorate, political forces and institutions will navigate with wisdom. , wisdom and also the harmony that characterizes our democracy,” he added.
“On behalf of all of us, thank you very much for welcoming us, for this kindness, thank you very much for the institutional cooperation and best wishes for 2024,” he emphasized.
The Deputy Minister of Parliamentary Affairs, Ana Catarina Mendes, was also present at this session.
Source: DN
