Portugal’s Portuguese Communist Party (PCP) accused right-wing parties of obstructing parliamentary scrutiny after an urgent debate on police conduct at housing demonstrations was not approved. The proposed debate would have required unanimous agreement among parliamentary parties because it would have changed the schedule for detailed discussions of the 2027 state budget.
The CDS opposed the proposal. Left-wing parties and PAN supported scheduling the debate, while the PSD, Chega and Iniciativa Liberal did not state a position in response to a request from Assembly of the Republic President José Pedro Aguiar-Branco.
PCP parliamentary leader Paula Santos said the parties’ silence amounted, in the party’s view, to opposition. She argued that the Assembly should be able to examine the government’s actions and said the decision not to approve the debate had political significance.
Santos also referred to a court ruling that she said recognised the legitimacy of the demonstration and the right to protest. She described the government’s use of police force at actions defending the right to housing as illegitimate and abusive, according to the PCP leader.
She challenged the PSD, Chega, Iniciativa Liberal and CDS to explain why they did not want to provide answers or face political scrutiny. Santos also rejected the budget discussions as a reason to prevent the debate, saying the schedule could have been adjusted without disrupting ongoing budget hearings.
Sources: Observador.