Aguiar-Branco calls for political maturity to elect external bodies of the AR

The president of the Assembly of the Republic (AR), José Pedro Aguiar-Branco, asked this Tuesday, March 17, for the political maturity of PSD, Chega and PS for the election of external bodies of parliament – including the Council of State, Constitutional Court and Ombudsman -, necessary “for democracy to function with quality”.

“Political maturity, democratic maturity, the awareness that this situation requires that these three parties allow a two-thirds majority. This two-thirds configuration must be very present in all those who, through these three hypotheses of combination, allow the election” stated Aguiar-Branco.

José Pedro Aguiar-Branco, who was speaking to journalists on the sidelines of the district session of the secondary school youth parliament, in the district of Viana do Castelo, reinforced that the “new configuration that the Portuguese gave to parliament requires understanding between at least three parties”.

“There were habits that came from the past, normal habits, of a different configuration of parliament than we have today, but the Portuguese wanted this configuration of parliament, in direct, free and universal elections and, therefore, the parties, the parliamentary groups have to be aware that this is the new reality”, he highlighted.

According to the president of the AR, “there is no deadline” for the election of external bodies of the AR, “but the normal functioning of the institutions requires that this matter be a priority for the quality of democracy” in Portugal.

“There must be consensus, there must be understanding among everyone. I appeal to the priority sense as the normal functioning of the institutions is at stake. All parties say that, beyond individual interests, it is the country’s interest, the interest of public service, and the interest of democracy that must be the first priority. Now, it’s a good test for everyone, for everyone, because everyone is responsible for this”, he highlighted.

José Pedro Aguiar-Branco added that, given the new postponement of the elections for the external bodies of the Assembly of the Republic, requested on Monday by the PS parliamentary group, at the next leaders’ conference, on the 25th, the dates will be set for the presentation of the candidates and for the respective elections.