This data was advanced today in the meeting of the Constitutional Affairs Committee by the PS deputy, also president of the Budget and Finance Committee, Filipe Neto Brandão, who is running again for this body provided for in the law of the Information System of the Portuguese Republic (SIRP), together with the "vice" of the social-democratic group Andreia Neto.

Filipe Neto Brandão (PS) and Andreia Neto are the two effective candidates for the Superior Council of Information, whose election is scheduled for Friday in the Assembly of the Republic and which requires a two-thirds majority of the votes of the deputies to take place.

In the hearing of these two candidates in the Constitutional Affairs Committee, Filipe Neto Brandão pointed out that he had already been elected by the Assembly of the Republic as an effective member of the Superior Council of Information in 2022, in the previous legislature, but that body "has not met since then".

Following a question asked by the deputy of the Liberal Initiative Patrícia Gilvaz, Filipe Neto Brandão then had the opportunity to explain the specific nature of the Superior Council of Information, thus establishing differences in relation to the SIRP Inspection Council, of which he was also a member in previous legislatures.

"The SIRP Inspection Council has a proactive nature, even intrusive, having the initiative to inspect [the information services, SIS and SIED]. This Superior Council of Information has a reactive nature, responds to requests made by the Prime Minister", he said.

Before the deputies of the Constitutional Affairs Committee, both Filipe Neto Brandão and Andreia Neto promised, if they are elected this Friday, to assume their respective mandates representing the parliament and not based on party interests.

"We will be committed to safeguarding internal security, in defense of rights, freedoms and guarantees", stressed the vice-president of the social-democratic group, after questions asked by deputies Patrícia Gilvaz, Paula Margarido (PSD) and Vanessa Barata (Chega).

The alternate candidates for the Superior Council of Information are deputies Nuno Jorge Gonçalves (PSD) and João Paulo Rebelo (PS).

The Constitutional Affairs Committee also heard today the candidates for the Superior Council of Internal Security, whose vote is also scheduled for Friday in parliament and which, as for the Superior Council of Information, requires a two-thirds majority of the deputies.

The effective candidates for the Superior Council of Internal Security are the social-democratic deputy António Rodrigues, who from 2016 was a member of the SIRP Inspection Council, and the PS deputy and former Secretary of State for Internal Administration Isabel Oneto.

In the short term, among other missions, the Superior Council of Internal Security, an interministerial body chaired by the Prime Minister, will have to evaluate the latest Annual Internal Security Report (RASI), and also has in perspective the replacement of the current Secretary-General of the Internal Security System, Ambassador Paulo Viseu Pinheiro, who will take up duties as Portugal's permanent representative to NATO:

In his presentation to the deputies, António Rodrigues stressed that the Superior Council of Internal Security, in addition to integrating the ministers who are part of the "pillar of the State", brings together the heads of the security and police forces, being the top body in the architecture of the internal security system.

Like António Rodrigues, Isabel Oneto also promised to represent the sovereign body of parliament if she is elected, with a view to "compliance with the law and respect for the rule of law".

Isabel Oneto also stressed the importance of coordination at the level of internal security, through a deep articulation between police forces, information services and the Secretary-General of the Internal Security System.

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