José Pedro Aguiar-Branco, president of the Assembly of the Republic, called this Thursday, February 5th, to participate in the second round of the presidential elections, on Sunday, highlighted his equidistance in this electoral act, but stated that he has no doubts about who will vote.
These positions were transmitted by Aguiar-Branco to the Lusa agency, after visiting the National Listening Corps, in Lisbon.
When asked about the political profile he wants in relation to the next head of state, he replied that, as president of the Assembly of the Republic, it is his “obligation to maintain equidistance” in relation to the dispute between the former secretary general of the PS António José Seguro and the leader of Chega, André Ventura.
“I already did this in the first round, because I think this is the requirement of the second figure of the State and the equidistance inherent to the position of president of the Assembly of the Republic that obliges me”, he explained.
However, shortly afterwards, he added that, if he were not currently acting as president of parliament, he would “definitely indicate” his opinion in relation to any of the candidates.
“The only thing I can say is that I have no doubts who I will vote for,” he declared.
Previously, the president of the Assembly of the Republic left an appeal for the Portuguese to participate in Sunday’s election. “I would urge that, as long as there are conditions to be able to exercise the right to vote, that it happens, because the exercise of the right to vote is very important. We are facing that most solemn moment in which the people can express their options”, he indicated.
José Pedro Aguiar-Branco emphasized that the election of the President of the Republic “is an important moment in the expression of Portuguese society”.
“I would call for this sacrifice that some also need to make to be made, because it is a sacrifice also for the benefit of our collective well-being that the choice of a President of the Republic entails”, he said.
Regarding future institutional relations with Marcelo Rebelo de Sousa’s successor as head of State, the President of the Assembly of the Republic pointed out that “the requirement for those who occupy positions in a sovereign body is to work so that there is good institutional cooperation, so that democracy functions well”.
He then stated that in a liberal and representative democracy, each holder of a sovereign body exercises his or her role within the scope of the powers that the Constitution enshrines.
“May this good coordination and dialogue between sovereign bodies happen as naturally as our Constitution also imposes”, he considered.
In this context, the president of the Assembly of the Republic praised the health of Portuguese democracy.
“I must say that in Portugal democracy has been exemplary – and this is recognized internationally. At a time when so many threats are happening all over the world, Portuguese democracy is a benchmark of democratic quality, of stability – and this has brought benefits to the image of our country”, he maintained.
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