When asked about the Prime Minister´s guarantee that he would not accept "a mission that jeopardises stability in Portugal", which more specifically pertains to the acceptance of a high-level position in the European Union following the 2024 elections, Marcelo referred back to comments he made when the current government took office in 2022.

"You will recall that in my inauguration speech, I had occasion to say something very simple, which covers that and covers much more. I said that when you have an absolute majority, and the absolute majority was largely obtained by the role of the leader of the party that obtained it, you gain conditions of stability, you become independent of others, and the majority only depends on itself, for everything," he declared.

Marcelo also shared that “In these years until 2026, for better or for worse, whatever comes to pass is in the hands of the absolute majority. It only depends on itself and this naturally covers the situation you mentioned”.


Marcelo reacts to António Costa's comments in Público

The President of the Republic was also asked about the latest "clarification" from António Costa, given to the newspaper Público, where the Prime Minister shared that he will not be available to take up any post in the European Union after the June 2024 elections.

Marcelo responded to this by highlighting that when he warned of the importance of not having changes in the leadership of the Government halfway through the term, "The Prime Minister took the floor and defined his position on his matter".

Marcelo insisted that the Portuguese also "know that, in relation to what happens this year, and what will happen in 2024 and 2025, and until the end of the cycle of government, the absolute majority has in its hand, and exclusively, the key to what will happen, good or bad, in terms of stability".

"So when it is said that the majority and its leader are the guarantor of stability it is true in the sense that they do not depend on any other party, any other set of parties. What happens depends only on the majority and its leader", he added.


Marcelo won't comment on Europe until after 2024 elections

When Marcelo was questioned about the importance of Portugal returning to a high position in the European Union, Marcelo declined to comment after reiterating the position he took last Friday.

He explained that answering this question "would imply talking about Europe, and Portugal in Europe, a year before the European elections, and therefore it would be premature and inadequate to talk about a reality that only makes sense to talk about, in terms of what the future of Europe will be like, and what Europeans want from Europe, in June of next year".


The stability of Portugal remains António Costa´s primary concern

In a response to the comment published in Público, and in reaction to the news that Brussels will pressure the Portuguese prime minister to go to the European Council, António Costa explained that he will not accept any mission that jeopardises the country's stability.

"I am the guarantor of stability. I have already explained to everyone that I will not accept a mission that calls into question stability in Portugal. Would I ever call into question the stability that I worked so hard to achieve?" he questioned.

Público also wrote that the prime minister's unwillingness to take on European posts is due to "his concern not to create political crises in Portugal".

The newspaper also discussed other ideas including how António Costa "is 100% focused on fulfilling his mandate as prime minister until the end of the legislature, which ends after the parliamentary elections of September or October 2026, and on carrying out the objectives he has set himself, namely budgetary stabilisation and the creation of a stable budget".