PS and PSD will lead Parliament on a rotating basis

The information was confirmed by the parliamentary leaders of PSD and PS, respectively Joaquim Miranda Sarmento and Eurico Brilhante Dias. Voting – the fourth attempt, after three failed rounds on Tuesday – is scheduled for 3 pm.

To journalists, Miranda Sarmento revealed that, this Wednesday, it was “agreed with the PS” that Aguiar-Branco will be president of the Assembly of the Republic “during two legislative sessions” (two years, roughly), until September 2026. From then on, “a deputy from the PS will be appointed, we imagine Mr. Deputy Francisco Assis”, he announced. However, Assis himself has already said that it may not be him, and that the name may only be found when Aguiar-Branco leaves office.

Moments later, Brilhante Dias confirmed Miranda Sarmento’s words, adding that the solution came from the PS and “was welcomed” by the social democrats. He argued that the proposal “allows the leadership of this institution to be unblocked today, meaning that, in the next two legislative sessions, the name indicated by the PSD will be [a liderar o Parlamento] and that, in subsequent legislative sessions, leadership is ensured by a PS parliamentarian”.

Eurico Brilhante Dias has not revealed, for now, whether the name to be presented will be that of Francisco Assis – who, on Tuesday, was put to vote by the socialists and won twice, although without the necessary absolute majority. Assis himself – who has been identified as a possible candidate supported by the PS for the Presidency of the Republic, in 2026 – did not want to commit, referring the issue to “in two years”. And he added: “What is certain is that it will be someone from the PS.”

PS and PSD want to put an end to the “impasse” that “degrades” institutions. Chega says he will “lead the Opposition”

Miranda Sarmento highlighted the importance of “not letting Parliament and the Government remain in an impasse”, since what interests the Portuguese is that “day-to-day problems” are resolved. “This impasse does not serve the interests of the Portuguese”, she insisted.

The social democrat also guaranteed that, despite Chega’s strong arm, the PSD will vote in favor of the name that André Ventura’s party proposes for the vice-presidency of Parliament – presumably Diogo Pacheco de Amorim.

“The PSD always keeps its word and we will vote in favor of the rest of the table, that is, the four vice-presidents nominated by the four biggest parties and the remaining secretaries and undersecretaries of the table, thus complying with the Constitution and the rules”, he announced Miranda Sarmento.

Brilhante Dias guaranteed that the solution found does not mean that the PS will stop being Opposition to the PSD. He stressed that it is just “an institutional commitment that has nothing programmatic”, made only to end an “impasse that degrades the image of the institutions”.

Despite this, André Ventura, from Chega, concluded that this outcome proves that PS and PSD have formed an alliance and that Luís Montenegro has already chosen “his travel company for this legislature”. Thus, he stated that his party will “lead the Opposition”.

Livre spokesman Rui Tavares criticizes what he says is an “improvised solution”. “They are dividing a handful of nothing and a handful of nothing,” he told journalists, adding that there is no guarantee that the legislature will last the expected four years.

Communist deputy Paula Santos considered that the agreement “is an objective of pursuing a right-wing policy that is contrary to the interests of workers and our people”.

The understanding between PS and PSD is seen by Mariana Mortágua as a step that does not resolve “the political problem of ungovernability”, the new portrait of Parliament, stressing that there is an “inability of the right to provide conditions of stability” to the country, defended.

An opinion shared by PAN deputy, Inês Sousa Real, according to which the solution found “gives an answer to an impasse within the democratic spectrum, and that is very important”.