José Sena Goulão / LUSA
Luís Montenegro and António José Seguro
The aim of changing the day of the meetings will be to allow Seguro to be informed in advance of the topics discussed at the Council of Ministers meeting and to avoid public clashes between São Bento and Belém.
One of the most symbolic changes brought about by the new President of the Republic has to do with the changing the calendar of weekly meetings with the Prime Minister.
The meetings between António José Seguro and Luís Montenegro will change from the traditional Thursdays to Tuesdays, allowing the President to have prior knowledge of the matters before the Council of Ministers meeting. Although officially justified as an organizational issue, the decision is seen as a strategic adjustment for facilitate early dialogue and avoid public conflicts.
According to , the change was agreed between Belém and São Bento with a “constructive spirit” and a relationship of “strategic cooperation.” Unlike the recent past, in which the President frequently made public disagreements with the Government, Seguro wants to facilitate private dialogue.
This new style was also reflected in hearings with political parties. Instead of the usual delegations, the President opted for individual meetings with party leaders.
The bet on a larger reserve arises in a context of political tension surrounding the negotiations for institutional positionsincluding the choice of judges for the Constitutional Court, with the PS already threatening to fail the State Budget if it is excluded from the negotiations. Seguro has already expressed concern about the blockade between parties, defending the need for consensus to avoid the “degradation of institutions” and preserve the balance of the democratic regime.
At the beginning of his term, António José Seguro seems to bet on a leadership based on discreet influence, seeking reduce public conflicts and reinforce political stability, in a clear effort to inaugurate a new cycle in relations between the Presidency and Government and contrast with the more interventionist stance of Marcelo Rebelo de Souza.
