The information is contained in a statement signed by the presidents of the PSD, Luís Montenegro, and IL, Rui Rocha.

In the statement, distributed to journalists in parliament, the two parties confirm that “in recent days contacts have taken place between the leadership of the two parties in order to evaluate different political scenarios”.

PSD and IL concluded that “dialogue must continue during the legislature that is now beginning” and undertake to discuss “whenever justified” the best solutions on “matters relevant to the lives and future of the Portuguese”.

However, the second point of the statement states, “there will be no progress at this time towards the conclusion of broad understandings, including those relating to the formation of the new Government”.

The two parties also emphasize that these contacts took place “in a climate of great openness and with full respect for the principle of good faith, in a very demanding framework that imposes on all political agents a high sense of responsibility”.

On Sunday, at the end of the IL National Council meeting, Rui Rocha maintained reservations about the party's possible participation in the Government led by Luís Montenegro, from AD, a hypothesis that he did not exclude “if it were to change the country”.

On Wednesday, after leaving the first of two audiences he had with the President of the Republic, the prime minister-designate, Luís Montenegro, said he expected to form a Government based on the majority “constituted by the deputies of the PSD and CDS-PP ”.

However, Montenegro declined to respond directly to questions from the media about the possibility of IL also joining the executive or about the possible presentation of an Amending Budget.

The Democratic Alliance coalition (which brought together PSD/CDS-PP/PPM) won the March 10 elections and the PSD leader was appointed prime minister by the President of the Republic. Luís Montenegro presents his Government on March 28th and the inauguration is scheduled for April 2nd.

In the new parliament, the PSD will have 78 deputies (one more than in the previous legislature), the PS also 78 (42 fewer), Chega increases from 12 to 50 parliamentarians, IL will maintain the eight deputies and BE the five it already had , while the PCP drops from six to four. Livre grows from one to four and PAN maintains its only deputy. The CDS-PP returns to parliament with two deputies.