“It [the immigration law] goes to parliament. In parliament, it’s voted on. Then I review it. If upon review, I conclude it aligns with what the Constitutional Court stated, I will promulgate it. And likely, that’s what will happen,” said Marcelo Rebelo de Sousa, President of Portugal, speaking to reporters after inaugurating the eighth edition of the Book Festival at the Belém Palace.
The President added that he does not recall having vetoed or sent a law back to the Constitutional Court a second time after it was “amended” following a veto from the court. He reiterated, however, that he will examine the bill after it is voted on by the Assembly of the Republic.
The Assembly of the Republic is set to reassess on Tuesday the new proposals for amendments to the immigration law in a plenary session, covering the bill’s general, specific, and final global vote stages after it was previously rejected by the Constitutional Court.
The new amendment proposals, announced by the Minister of the Presidency, António Leitão Amaro, aim to ensure compliance with the Constitution. These include maintaining a two-year period of valid residency for family reunification requests, while allowing several exceptions, notably for spouses.
Today, the president of Chega, necessary for forming parliamentary majorities, warned the government that the party would not accept the new version of the immigration law, announcing plans to propose changes to further restrict family reunification.
On the conclusion by the General Inspectorate of Health Activities (IGAS) that the death of a man in Mogadouro, Bragança, during an INEM strike, might be linked to a delay in service by the Urgent Patients Guidance Center (CODU), President Marcelo noted he will address health issues in “due time” within the coming weeks.
“I promised that in due course, shortly, I would express my views on the health situation in Portugal, the issues arising, which I have previously discussed concerning past governments, as these are indeed global and structural problems in Portuguese society,” he stated.
When asked about the housing measures approved today in the Council of Ministers, Marcelo Rebelo de Sousa said he “hadn’t had the opportunity to review them,” but remarked they will “certainly be welcomed.”
Regarding the future of the Book Festival, an initiative he launched in his first year in office in 2016 with the Portuguese Association of Publishers and Booksellers (APEL), the President stated, “each person is as they are,” suggesting his successor will choose based on their own inclinations, just as he did being “from the world of books.”
When questioned about attending the event at Belém if it continues, Marcelo commented that he would visit the Belém Palace “when necessary,” such as in his capacity as a State Councilor, but added that “life goes on” otherwise.
