Marques Mendes presses Marcelo Rebelo de Sousa

Given the political fragmentation and almost certainty that the elections on May 18 will not come out a majority of any party, there is a scenario that can not be placed: that of a post -electoral coalition, whether on the left or right. It is in this context that the presidential candidate Luís Marques Mendes, asks: « Will the President of the Republic demand written agreements or not? »

Contacted by the sunrise, Marcelo Rebelo de Sousa did not want to advance what will be his position if a post -electoral coalition is made to ensure governing stability, since he decided not to talk publicly about the elections. For the president, this is the time for political parties to present their ideas, proposals and even scenarios of governance.

Already Luís Marques Mendes does not hesitate to reveal what he thinks: « My opinion is that whenever there is a post -electoral coalition the president must demand a written agreement, » he says to the sunrise. For three reasons, continues. «First because it is more transparent; second because it is healthier in the relations between government and president. Finally it is also safer from the point of view of compliance with the Constitution.

A post -electoral written agreement was only signed once in Portuguese democracy. When in 2015 António Costa came to agree with the Left Bloc (BE), the Portuguese Communist Party (PCP) and the Ecologist Party The Green (PEV) to create the leftist majority who led to the fall of the second government of Passos Coelho and the inauguration of the socialist executive, the then president of the Republic Cavaco Silva demanded the signing of written agreements. « At the time President Cavaco’s concern was respect for the PCP, PEV and BE of the international agreements that Portugal was part, » recalls Marques Mendes. The documents were signed separately at the closed door in a PS office in the Assembly of the Republic.

For Marques Mendes, this is a good principle. «Whenever there are coalitions the cardinal points must be written. Passos Coelho made the pre-election agreement with Paulo Portas and reduced him to writing. In the case of post -electoral coalitions they should be written as well because they imply negotiations between parties that eventually lead to results that were not voted, ”he says.