The housing crisis was debated in parliament this afternoon after the opposition joined forces to overturn the decision of the president of the Assembly of the Republic who rejected two requests (from LIVRE) to hold an urgent debate on the situation.
Speaker José Pedro Aguiar-Branco had cited non-compliance with parliamentary rules as his reasons for rejecting LIVRE’s requests.
But the parliamentary opposition voted as a bloc today (21) to approve an appeal submitted by LIVRE, which refused to ‘give up’.
The appeal was submitted at the start of parliamentary proceedings: PS, CHEGA, IL, Livre, PCP, BE, PAN and JPP joined forces, against the wishes of PSD and CDS-PP coalition parties, which opposed the change to the afternoon’s agenda.
Immediately after this approval, José Pedro Aguiar-Branco stressed: “I hope everyone is aware of the precedent that has been set”.
The debate was broadcast live but brought little new to the fore. It was a form of re-run of habitual recriminations and accusations, with CHEGA leader André Ventura claiming that the crisis has been made worse by the arrival of immigrants.
source material: ECO online/ SIC Notícias
Natasha Donn
Journalist for the Portugal Resident.