After all, Macron won't have time to speak in the Assembly of the Republic

Contrary to the message that he himself had sent through diplomatic channels to José Pedro Aguiar-Branco's office, Emmanuel Macron, who will be in Portugal on the 27th and 28th for a state visit, will not be speaking in the Assembly of the Republic next Thursday nor will he have a formal session in the plenary. The French President's visit will be divided between Lisbon and Porto.

Due to time constraints, the presence of the President of the French Republic in Parliament will be limited to a welcome session in the main hall, Aguiar-Branco's office confirmed to PÚBLICO.

It is not yet known whether Emmanuel Macron will make a brief speech to thank the President of Parliament for his hospitality during his state visit to Portugal, the first by a French President in around 25 years.

This new format for Macron's visit to the Assembly of the Republic is a minimalist version of what he himself intended. According to the summary of the leaders' conference on 22 January, Macron expressed a "strong desire to speak in the same way" as previous French heads of state - Giscard d'Estaing, François Mitterrand and Jacques Chirac - who visited Portugal.

Therefore, the current French President would be received in Parliament with a formal session like those "prepared to welcome heads of state from countries very close to Portugal, such as France". In other words, with a session lasting around an hour, in the plenary, with speeches by Aguiar-Branco and Emmanuel Macron. The session would be attended by the President of the Republic, Marcelo Rebelo de Sousa, also at the Board (but without speaking), as well as the Prime Minister and the Government. At the time, there was no mention of the existence of guests in the galleries.