This position was conveyed by Isabel Moreira in the Constitutional Affairs Committee - and was later also highlighted by the PCP deputy António Filipe -, before the Chega draft resolution project condemning the words spoken by the President of the Republic, Marcelo Rebelo de Sousa, about alleged reparations to the former colonies for Portugal's historical past was rejected by a large majority.

In the vote, the Chega initiative was rejected by all the other political forces represented in the Constitutional Affairs Committee: PSD, PS, Iniciativa Liberal, Bloco de Esquerda, PCP, Livre and PAN.

On behalf of Chega, Rodrigo Taxa defended that "Portugal is a nation builder" and that the President of the Republic "ignored the returnees from overseas and the former combatants". Immediately afterwards, he heard the Bloco de Esquerda deputy Joana Mortágua tell him that "betrayal of the homeland is a very serious thing for a party like Chega to be toying with it just to wage political guerrilla warfare against the President of the Republic".

Isabel Moreira argued that this initiative, if it were not a draft vote, would not even have been admitted for discussion, since the Assembly of the Republic body cannot condemn the Presidency of the Republic.

"There is separation of powers, but Chega pretends not to know that. It is just playing political games", she attacked. But the constitutionalist went further: "Chega is consciously acting against the honour of the President of the Republic", which constitutes something "highly defamatory and even serious".

Pedro Neves de Sousa, a PSD deputy, considered that the draft vote in question "is part of the continuation of a political ride by Chega against the highest magistrate in the nation".

"Only in bad faith or total ignorance can one speak of treason against the homeland on the part of the President of the Republic. This initiative does not dignify parliament. If Chega wants to create an institutional crisis, it does not count on the PSD", he added.

The communist deputy began by using humour to criticize Chega's draft vote.

"If the PCP were to collect the statements of the PR with which it disagrees, they would bring a real yearbook here". Then, he made a direct attack on Chega: "We are not here to play with the people's money, deputies are paid to do serious things and not to make fun of those who work", he said.

António Filipe then observed that the crime of Insulting the President of the Republic "is provided for and punished in the Penal Code"

Patrícia Gilvaz, from Iniciativa Liberal, classified the positions of the President of the Republic on reparations to the former colonies as inappropriate, but distanced herself from Chega by saying that the head of state "is free to express his position".

"We cannot enter into Chega's political game", concluded Patrícia Gilvaz. On behalf of Livre, deputy Paulo Muacho said that he was facing "yet another Chega number".

"And the text of this draft vote immediately reveals ignorance regarding our History", he added.

In today's meeting of the Constitutional Affairs Committee, the PSD and Chega rejected a draft vote by the Bloco de Esquerda greeting the decision of the European Parliament in defence of the inclusion of the right to abortion in the European Charter of Fundamental Rights. An initiative that was supported by the PS, Iniciativa Liberal, Livre and PCP, in addition to the BE.

On behalf of the PSD, deputy Pedro Neves de Sousa devalued the BE initiative, but added that the social democrats defend the current legal framework on abortion.

Read Also: "Treason". Chega advances with proposal for criminal action against Marcelo (Portuguese version)