The president’s request was published on his official site minutes after Aníbal Cavaco Silva spoke to António Costa on Monday morning.


The president asked for “formal clarification” about questions that are not covered in the parliamentary accords between the Socialists and the Communists, Left Bloc and Greens, “regarding the stability and durability of a minority (Socialist) government over the period of the legislature”.


The clarifications cover six areas:
- approval of confidence votes;
- approval of the budget and the 2016 budget in particular;
- compliance with euro zone budget discipline, namely under the stability and growth pact, budget treaty, European stability mechanisms and Portugal’s participation in the economic and monetary union and the banking union;
- respect for international commitments under the scope of collective defence organisations;
- the role of the social conciliation council given its relevance towards the country’s social cohesion and development;
and
- the stability of the financial system, given its pivotal role in funding the Portuguese economy.