Marcelo Rebelo de Sousa defends that Portugal needs “a President exactly the same as he was”
Asked by the media, in a hotel in Maputo, if it will be the same President, Marcelo Rebelo de Sousa retorted: “The President of the Republic is the same until March 9, 2026, he is the same, that is, unless that something bad can happen, which I hope doesn’t happen from a health point of view”.
Journalists then asked him which President the country needs in the new political framework. “I think that a President exactly the same as the President who was, equal. The powers are the same, the conditions are exactly as in relation to the President”, replied the head of state.
The President of the Republic said that there is now “a different economy and social situation, because of the pandemic and the war” in Ukraine, “which there was no parliamentarian before”, and also “a different situation from the previous one”.
“But apart from that and many other things that are different, the President is the same, even though the President thinks it is the same, the Constitution is the same, the powers are the same,” he added.
As for the situation, which will be necessary for the president, it is already considered evident: it already requires”.
Marcelo Rebelo de Sousa was heard to “formulate what expectations” about the governing cast of the prime minister, António Costa, will propose.
Asked if he liked the current ministers of State and Foreign Affairs, Augusto Silva, and of National Defence, João Gomes Cravinho, if they reported the main charges in the two months, they observed that “there is” that journalists try to get this to speak, but man does not will speak.
“I will wait to see the organic proposal and the names of the prime minister”, he said.
Since the legislation of January 30, which the PS won with an absolute majority, the President of the Republic has referred to national political silence and promised only on the subject in the speech he will make at the inauguration of the XXIII Constitutional Government — which I use today for 30 March.
Marcelo Rebelo de Sousa arrived in Mozambique on Thursday for an official four-day visit.