The PSD backtracked and agreed to extend the discussion of the Nationality Law until September. The agreement was reached this morning, September 9th, in the Committee on Rights, Freedoms, and Guarantees. The party agreed to hold hearings to hear experts on the matter, provided the process extends only until the third week of September.
According to Social Democratic MP António Rodrigues, the goal is to have the matter resolved before the State Budget debate begins, scheduled for early October. The committee's debate is heated, as was last Friday's plenary session.
Initially, the government's goal was to have the matter resolved by the end of this month, before the August parliamentary recess. DN understands that the change of position may have been motivated by fears that the proposal would be seen as unconstitutional.
Since the announcement of the change in legislation, legal professionals and constitutionalists have expressed diverse opinions on the matter. One of them was constitutionalist Jorge Miranda, a former PSD representative.
On Tuesday, the President of the Assembly of the Republic, José Pedro Aguiar-Branco, emphasized his warnings regarding the executive branch's legislation on the Nationality Law. Aguiar-Branco stated that he hopes that the potential constitutional risks of the government's proposed amendment to the nationality law, such as the measure's retroactive effect, will be reflected upon during the detailed discussion phase.
The list of people and entities that will be heard, either in hearings or in writing, has not yet been defined.