Marcelo Rebelo de Sousa points out the lack of legal clarity and ‘legal certainty’ of the measure ‘, as well as a possible violation’ of the principles of equality and non -discrimination ”
The president of, Marcelo Rebelo de Sousa, asked the Constitutional Court to examine the hardening measures of the migratory policy approved by Parliament, in particular those related to the right of family regrouping, announced on Thursday night (24). Rebelo de Sousa asked the Constitutional Court an “urgent” opinion in a “15 -day period”, according to a note published on the presidency’s website. The decision of the head of state was made after consulting this week the parties represented in Parliament on this Law, approved on July 16 with the votes of the right and far-right government coalition, which became May in the country’s second political force.
These new provisions reorient immigration to more qualified profiles and make the rules related to family regrouping more rigorous. A family regrouping “could delay at least about three and a half years”, which goes against “the principle of family unit and the superior interest of the child”, according to the Portuguese president. It also points out the lack of legal clarity and “legal certainty”, as there is a possible limit of possible resources for the applicants, as well as a possible violation of “the principles of equality and non -discrimination” in several of the measures. The leftist parties immediately applauded the president’s decision, while the far-right party ‘arrives’ warned of a possible “migratory chaos” if the law goes into force.
“I hope this will not serve as a pretext so that there is no border control,” said André Ventura, leader of ‘arrival’. Shortly after assuming power in March 2024, the government of Luis Montenegro hardened the migratory rules that so far were the most flexible in Europe. In particular, it revoked a measure that allowed the regularization of immigrants who could prove at least one year of work and contributions to Social Security, even if they had entered the country with a tourist visa. At the end of 2024, the Iberian country had 1.55 million foreigners, four times more than in 2017, and approximately 15% of the total population, according to official data.
*With information from AFP
Posted by Fernando Dias
