Cotrim Figueiredo stated in an interview that the President of the Republic should not act as a “counterpower” or publicly express disagreements with a sitting government.
“People who believe the President is elected to defend a specific party or ideological position are mistaken regarding the constitutional role of the President. That is not the case,” he said.
Figueiredo emphasized that the President should function as a scrutinizer, highlighting the role as not only of promulgating but also the possibility of vetoing or constitutionally assessing legislation, treating a government of Chega like any other political color.
“I believe that my constitutional role is to respect the will of the people… I would not want to treat Chega voters differently from any other voters because they are Portuguese like all others, entitled to their opinions,” he argued.
When asked if he would require any formal commitments from a Chega government, similar to Luís Marques Mendes’ suggestion of demanding a “written document of constitutional guarantees,” Figueiredo questioned the practical validity of such a signature and what would happen if the agreement was breached.
“It is better to seriously analyze people’s personalities and make it clear to the individual that, with that President of the Republic, there is no room for games. That is the understanding: it is not written, but a personal influence understanding,” he stressed.
Figueiredo assured that if potentially unconstitutional diplomas from a Chega government arrived in Belém, he would not hesitate to send “30 diplomas a month for review” by the Constitutional Court.
“I regret causing the Constitutional Court so much work, but that is its purpose. And there is absolutely no problem with that. This applies to that party or any other,” he said, emphasizing his attentiveness to these issues regardless of the government’s political color.
In addition to constitutional concerns, Figueiredo mentioned he would also be vigilant regarding laws “inadvertently or intentionally poorly crafted,” citing the disaggregation of parishes as an example of deliberately ill-made legislation, “for electoral and political clientele reasons.”
“This type of legislation or stance would always be subject, once again discreetly, without making it a counterpower, without public notice… but I will make it known to the government that some things are unacceptable and that continuing on a certain path could lead the President of the Republic to take a public stance that is not pleasant for anyone,” he warned.
When asked about the personal mark he would like to leave immediately if elected President of the Republic, Figueiredo mentioned spending one of his first nights as head of state in the Selvagens Islands, “because it signals that Portugal is the same from its northernmost to its southernmost point.”
“And because I give great importance to our Atlantic relationship, and specifically, the continental shelf that the Selvagens allow us to claim. I believe it would be both symbolic and useful,” he added.
Regarding his first overseas visit, Figueiredo mentioned he would like it to be to a “Portuguese-speaking country,” with which Portugal could “claim or attempt a closer political union.”
“At the moment, that country would be Brazil. But it might not always be the same. Things change,” he stated.
