The President vetoed the new parties’ financing law

  • ECO News
  • 3 January 2018

The President Marcelo Rebelo de Sousa vetoed the document changing the political parties' financing law due to "the absence of grounds on the new change which can undergo public scrutiny".

Marcelo Rebelo de Sousa decided to veto the new political parties’ financing law which predicted, among other changes, that the VAT exemption would be broadened to all partisan activities and that there would no longer be a limit for the sums obtained in fundraising actions.

“The President of the Portuguese Republic decided to return, without promulgating, the Parliament Decree number 177/XIII, concerning parties’ financing due to the absence of grounds about the new changes concerning the way political parties are financed which can undergo public scrutiny“, can be read in a note published on the Presidency website.

Although Marcelo exercised his veto right, if the decree is approved again by an absolute majority of deputies when it returns to Parliament, it is mandatory that the President promulgates the diploma.

"The President of the Portuguese Republic decided to return, without promulgating, the Parliament Decree number 177/XIII, concerning parties’ financing due to the absence of grounds about the new changes concerning the way political parties are financed which can undergo public scrutiny.”

Presidency note

The controversy around the new law of financing for political parties started after the Parliament approved, on December 21st, changes to the current law with 119 votes in favor from PSD (Social Democratic Party), PS (Socialist Party), BE (Left Block), PCP (Portuguese Communist Party) and PEV (Greens). Only deputies from CDS and PAN stood against the diploma (Democratic and Social Center Party and the People-Animals-Nature party, respectively). The decision to change the law was approved without the knowledge of who were the authors of the proposals and no minutes were taken of the meeting.