The government on Wednesday declared three days of national mourning, from today until Saturday, in honor of the death of Pope Francis. Despite the national mourning decree being approved during the Council of Ministers meeting, both the head of state, Marcelo Rebelo de Sousa, and the President of the Assembly of the Republic, José Pedro Aguiar-Branco, emphasized that the April 25 session would proceed as planned.
José Pedro Aguiar-Branco dismissed the notion that holding the parliamentary session could conflict with the solemn nature of national mourning, arguing that the plural debate characteristic of democracies aligns with the legacy of peace, humanism, and dialogue of Pope Francis’ pontificate.
Additionally, the President of the Assembly of the Republic highlighted that he would read a vote of condolence for the passing of Pope Francis at the session’s commencement, followed by a moment of silence.
Earlier this month, due to Aguiar-Branco’s direct involvement, the Permanent Commission of the Assembly of the Republic unanimously agreed to continue the solemn session commemorating the 51st anniversary of the April 25, 1974, revolution, despite the President’s dissolution of parliament on March 20 following the failed confidence motion presented by the PSD/CDS government.
Three fundamental reasons contributed to this unanimity among political forces: the solemnity of the date; the marking of the 50th anniversary of the first free elections to the Constituent Assembly following the April 1974 revolution; and the maturity of the democratic regime, now over half a century old.
As usual, the closing remarks will be delivered by the head of state, following speeches from the President of the Assembly of the Republic and representatives from various parliamentary parties.
With the early legislative elections set for May 18, and amid a pre-campaign environment, most parties have chosen their leaders to speak: Pedro Nuno Santos for the PS; André Ventura for Chega; Rui Rocha for Iniciativa Liberal; Mariana Mortágua for Bloco de Esquerda; and Isabel Mendes Lopes, co-spokesperson for Livre.
Additionally, former minister and current Vice President of the Assembly of the Republic, Teresa Morais, will speak for the PSD, alongside the sole PAN deputy Inês Sousa Real, CDS parliamentary leader Paulo Núncio, and PCP deputy António Filipe.
Regarding the ceremony’s protocol on Friday, only a few differences will be observed due to the national mourning.
The President of the Republic, upon arrival at the parliament, will forgo the usual review of troops. The presidential standard will be flown at half-mast on the balcony of the Palácio de São Bento.
In line with traditional parliamentary solemn sessions, military honors will be rendered to the President of the Republic upon arrival, with the band and fanfare performing the national anthem and salutes by honorary sentinels.
Just before the session begins, the youth choir from the Instituto Gregoriano de Lisboa will perform the national anthem.
At the session’s conclusion, following the President of the Republic’s speech, the Guarda Nacional Republicana band, assembled in the Hall of Lost Steps, will perform the national anthem once more.
