The liberal leader was referring to Hugo Soares' words in the plenary session, in which he said he did not agree with either Aguiar-Branco's position or that of the left benches -- which supported the PS's position -- saying that "it is with these episodes that populism gains momentum", but he agreed to debate the issue at the next leaders' conference.

"How is it possible that someone who wanted to sentence the President of the Republic to ten years in prison for exercising his freedom of speech comes to this chamber to invoke freedom of speech to say what he wants and how he wants," questioned Hugo Soares in the plenary session, in a criticism of Chega applauded by the PS bench.

Rui Rocha, who was speaking at a pre-campaign event for the Liberal Initiative for the European elections on 9 June, said that the IL's position will be expressed "at a forthcoming leaders' conference where the conduct of the work is under discussion".

"We will do so with the same coherence with which we voted for this President of the Assembly of the Republic. There are others who are now very enthusiastic about this position of the President of the Assembly of the Republic, but who did not vote for him and are responsible for the idea of having a socialist President of the Assembly of the Republic in the second half of the legislature," said Rui Rocha, in a reference to Chega.

On Friday, the President of the Assembly of the Republic defended that it is not his responsibility to censor the positions or opinions of deputies, referring to the Public Prosecutor's Office for any possible criminal liability of parliamentary speech.

José Pedro Aguiar-Branco rejected that he had made a mistake by allowing the leader of Chega, André Ventura, to continue his speech, after he had said that "the Turks are not exactly known for being the hardest working people in the world".

In addition to contesting Hugo Soares' words, the liberal leader also attacked today's speech by the head of the Democratic Alliance (AD, which includes PSD/CDS-PP/PPM) list for the European elections, Sebastião Bugalho, who considered it difficult to balance freedom of speech and other rights.

"Well, I also want to tell the head of the AD list that if he has any doubts, ask us. Because in doubt, more freedom of speech," he exclaimed, being effusively applauded by his supporters.

The head of the IL list for the European elections, João Cotrim Figueiredo, had already addressed today the Friday controversy, considering that, within the law, people can "say whatever nonsense they want", calling for coherence in the debate on freedom of speech.

"For us, freedom of speech is clear: people have the right, within the terms of the law, to say whatever nonsense they want, as was the case with the statements we heard in parliament yesterday [Friday], and the President of the Assembly of the Republic is right not to become a censor of these issues," he said today at the entrance to the restaurant where the IL dinner was held.

Read Also: PAN wants Aguiar-Branco to "retract" and clarify "unfortunate words" (Portuguese version)

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