Portuguese President Marcelo Rebelo de Sousa made a surprise appearance today at the PSD Summer University, a youth training initiative taking place until Sunday in Castelo de Vide (Portalegre). Although he was initially scheduled to speak via videoconference, he attended in person.
During a panel titled “The President’s Responses,” he was asked about the significance he places on Portugal’s relationship with the Community of Portuguese Language Countries (CPLP), describing it as essential.
Without explicitly addressing the current Government’s immigration policy, the President used the opportunity to voice some concerns on the topic.
“The essential thing is to manage the circumstances while never forgetting what is structural. Circumstances are like fashions—sometimes more prominent, sometimes less, more colorful, or less so, more emotional, or less emotional. What we can’t do is discard a structural issue because of circumstantial reasons,” he stated.
The head of state warned that “sensitivities and wounds can be caused unintentionally,” suggesting he was “on the edge” of what he might openly discuss on the topic.
He emphasized the crucial and increasing contribution of communities from Portuguese-speaking countries to the social, economic, and cultural domains of Portuguese society.
The President argued that Portugal will increasingly need these contributions, especially due to demographic challenges.
“It’s not worth engaging in broad, generic discussions about other broader, vaguer realities: we must exercise caution when dealing with communities that share with us what is known as the CPLP, keeping medium and long-term perspectives in mind,” he said.
Marcelo Rebelo de Sousa expressed hope to live long enough to see this current trend dissipate and realize it was wise not to alter the structural stance of Portuguese policy.
He requested the Constitutional Court to review the legal diploma intended to amend the legal regime of entry, stay, exit, and removal of foreigners from national territory. The Court rejected five articles of the law, necessitating its revision by the Assembly of the Republic.
