Ventura vs. Melo: What was said about the “agreement” that created an impasse in Parliament?

Ventura vs. Melo: What was said about the “agreement” that created an impasse in Parliament? – Portugal

This Wednesday, deputies will meet again to choose Augusto Santos Silva’s successor. Chega accused AD of “denying” the agreement and blamed the leader of the CDS-PP.

This Wednesday, deputies will vote for the fourth time to choose the president of the Assembly of the Republic. A similar case only happened in 1982, with the choice of Leonardo Ribeiro de Almeida, from the PSD, four votes later. Yesterday, João Pedro Aguiar Branco’s name went to the first vote but ended up failing to collect the necessary 116 votes, despite the day before, André Ventura having said that he would give the green light to the social-democratic proposal. In the third vote – the second round – no winner was determined. But what was said about the agreement between the PSD and Chega for the presidency and vice-presidency of the AR that ended up not happening?

André Ventura, March 25: Enough “will make the proposal for the presidency of Parliament viable”

These statements by André Ventura appeared during a press conference in which the Chega leader revealed an understanding with the PSD. “The PSD informed Chega that it will facilitate the appointment of the various Chega leaders to the positions of vice-president, secretary and deputy secretary of the Assembly of the Republic,” he said. In the same sense, Chega “will make viable the proposal for the presidency of Parliament” presented by the Democratic Alliance (AD): João Pedro Aguiar Branco.

“By taking these steps we guarantee an absolute majority that will not only be able to elect the president of the Assembly of the Republic, [mas também] the vice-presidents, including that of the Liberal Initiative, and the secretary and vice-secretary to which Chega is entitled”, assumed the Chega leader.

Nuno Melo, March 26, before the vote: “There is no agreement”

Before the vote to choose the president of the Assembly of the Republic, the leader of the CDS-PP was interviewed by SIC Notícias. During the interview, he was asked about an agreement between AD and Chega. “A little while ago we heard the leader of the PSD say that it was clear that the AD made an agreement with Chega. Is there an agreement with Chega or not?”, asked the journalist.

“Well, for lack of a better political argument, we opt for fiction. Clearly, it seems to me that this is the case. The fact that José Pedro Aguiar Branco is nominated by the PSD for an election as president of the Assembly of the Republic seems very normal to me , taking into account that the AD won the elections”, stated Nuno Melo. Pressed on whether the name was obtained in agreement with Chega, Nuno Melo was direct: “There is no agreement”. When asked if it was an exaggeration for André Ventura to talk about an agreement, Nuno Melo insisted: “I don’t have to comment on what the leader of that party says.”

André Ventura, March 26, after Aguiar Branco failed the election: “I heard Nuno Melo’s statements today”

After the parliamentary leader of the PSD, Joaquim Miranda Sarmento, announced the withdrawal of Aguiar Branco’s name from the election – having subsequently presented him again in the night vote that also ended without a winner -, André Ventura accused the PSD of choosing to “seek coalitions with the PS”, “ignoring 1,200,000 Portuguese” who voted for Chega.

Later, he revealed that he had heard statements from “leaders and officials” of the Democratic Alliance (AD) who “falsely rushed to deny” the agreement for the election of a president of the PSD Assembly of the Republic (Aguiar Branco), and a vice-president of Chega (Diogo Pacheco de Amorim).

Ventura specifically pointed to the case of CDS-PP leader, Nuno Melo, “saying that there was no agreement with Chega, that they did not need this agreement and that Chega was, therefore, dispensable”. “I heard Nuno Melo’s statements today, I think they were broadcast in several places, including on several televisions”, he said. Therefore, he called for a “rethinking of the PSD’s strategy”. “If so, we will be here, if they simply want to humiliate and trample us, we will not be available.”

This Wednesday, the Assembly of the Republic will meet again in plenary to choose the president of the Assembly of the Republic, successor to Augusto Santos Silva. Applications can be submitted until 11:30 am and voting is scheduled for 12 pm. To be chosen, the candidate must gather at least 116 votes.

With Lusa