President Marcelo Hints at Avoiding Second Constitutional Review for Revised Foreigners Law

President Marcelo's Statement on Foreigners Law Changes

In a recent development, the President of Portugal, Marcelo Rebelo de Sousa, has suggested that the amendments made to the Foreigners Law might not necessitate another referral to the Constitutional Court. This statement was made during his visit to New York, where he addressed journalists on the matter.

Marcelo emphasized that the government's intention, as he understood it, is to align the law as closely as possible with the objectives outlined by the Constitutional Court in its previous ruling. He stated, "A intenção do Governo, pelo que percebi, é encontrar a fórmula mais próxima que depreende ser o objetivo do Tribunal Constitucional na sua pronúncia" (The government's intention, as I understand it, is to find the closest formula that meets the Constitutional Court's objectives in its pronouncement).

Additionally, Marcelo expressed his preference to await the parliamentary approval process before making any final decisions. He revealed that the government has already shared the essential outlines of the changes with him. He questioned, "Neste momento não posso substituir-me à deliberação da Assembleia da República. Uma coisa é certa: se o presidente entender que esse objetivo está atingido porque é que há-de ouvir outra vez o Tribunal Constitucional?" (At this moment, I cannot replace the deliberation of the Assembly of the Republic. One thing is certain: if the president understands that this objective has been achieved, why should he hear the Constitutional Court again?).

This indicates a potential shift in the legislative process, highlighting the president's cautious approach to ensuring the law's constitutionality without unnecessary delays.