Socialist MP Pedro Delgado Alves accused the President of the Assembly of the Republic of doing a 'disservice' and caricaturing the oversight of transparency and institutional functioning. He justified turning his back on Aguiar-Branco at the end of his speech during the 25th of April solemn session in Parliament. The MP stated that the speech undermined years of work on transparency, conflicts of interest, and revolving doors, which are essential for public trust. Delgado Alves noted that while solemn sessions are not typically for protests, he chose this gesture to express his displeasure at what he described as an aggressive and mocking tone from the Assembly President. The session was also marked by calls for transparency in party donations and attacks on the so-called 'owners of April'.
Pedro Delgado Alves explains why he turned his back on Aguiar-Branco during the 25th of April solemn session
Context & Explainers
The Assembly of the Republic (Assembleia da República) is Portugal's unicameral parliament, located in the Palácio de São Bento in Lisbon. It consists of 230 deputies elected by proportional representation for four-year terms.
The Assembly's powers include making and amending laws, approving the state budget, ratifying international treaties, and overseeing the government through debates, hearings, and committees. It can also pass votes of no confidence to bring down a government, as happened in March 2025.
Following the May 2025 elections, the current parliamentary composition is led by the Democratic Alliance (AD) with the largest share of seats, followed by Chega, PS, and smaller parties including the Liberal Initiative, Left Bloc, Livre, and PCP.
