“In a democracy that celebrates 50 years, it is important that we do not follow the evolution of older and older democracies, which is the increase in abstention in elections that are all very important and, in this sense, whoever can vote should vote. This is the appeal, I leave here for Sunday [the 10th]”, said Marcelo Rebelo de Sousa, speaking to journalists after having voted in advance at the Faculty of Arts of the University of Lisbon.

Asked about the possible adoption of an electronic voting system, the President of the Republic defended that the pros and cons of that model should be considered, also thinking about emigrants.

Regarding the day of reflection, Marcelo Rebelo de Sousa repeated the suggestion made in 2022 to rethink the relevance of this right, which “had a logic in the election for the Constituent Assembly and at the beginning of democracy”, but underlined that, on this issue, “the Assembly of the Republic is sovereign”.

The Head of State refused to comment on the ongoing electoral campaign, but, asked about a possible scenario of ungovernability after the 10 March, Marcelo Rebelo de Sousa considered that “the Portuguese people have demonstrated since the 25th of April a maturity and a wisdom, anticipating in many cases what is often only perceived in the future”.

“There is no reason to stop believing that,” he added.

The President of the Republic called early legislative elections, following the resignation of António Costa from the position of Prime Minister, at the beginning of November 2023, after his name emerged in an investigation by the Public Ministry, due to suspicions of corruption involving members of the Government and his office, despite not being accused or having been accused of any illegal acts.