In statements to journalists in parliament, the leader of Chega considered that this issue had a “positive outcome” and welcomed the decision of José Pedro Aguiar-Branco, asserting that it “marks a positive advance in this discussion.”
“I had the opportunity to speak about this today with the President of the Assembly of the Republic, informing him of this, and the President of the Assembly of the Republic also assuring that this will not be an obstruction,” he stated.
André Ventura stated that “parliament finally ceases to assume the role of a constitutional decision-maker” and “stops being a kind of antechamber of the Constitutional Court.”
“The parliament is not the Constitutional Court. There is a session and a set of mechanisms in the specialty that allow projects to be assessed and even to correct irregularities if they exist and, on the other hand, there is a Constitutional Court that, ultimately, if projects are approved, can have several forms of oversight, whether preventive or successive,” he argued.
André Ventura said that this statement aimed to “restore the truth,” after stating on Friday that the Speaker of Parliament had not admitted Chega’s bill, despite José Pedro Aguiar-Branco not having made any decision on that matter at the time.
At the time, the leader of Chega accused the Speaker of the Assembly of the Republic of “blocking” his party’s political action. Today, he said Aguiar-Branco took “the right attitude.”
The Speaker of the Assembly of the Republic decided to admit Chega’s project on changes to the nationality law, although with constitutional reservations, but which he believes can be corrected in the course of the legislative process.
This decision comes after the services of the Assembly of the Republic issued a non-binding opinion on Chega’s bill, suggesting it should not be admitted due to conflicts with the Constitution, notably by attempting to ensure the possibility of nationality loss in certain cases.
André Ventura said the party became aware of this opinion through Aguiar-Branco’s office, and considered that “the communication via the official route from the president anticipated what would be the final decision.”
The Chega leader considered the admission of the bill for parliamentary discussion “a very important factor for negotiations” with the government.
Speaking to journalists shortly after an urgent debate precisely on nationality and immigration, which was attended by the relevant minister, the Chega president stated there is “an open path and a possible majority so that, regardless of the formulas that are found, those who commit crimes in Portugal after obtaining Portuguese nationality may lose their nationality.”
Ventura reiterated that Chega is willing to reach “some consensus formulas on this matter to quickly resolve the problem,” but admitted this could be a lengthy process.
“I would say we had the conditions, at least before the session is concluded, to have the fundamental ideas closed and the legislative process practically closed, even if formally it remains slightly postponed,” he affirmed.
