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Portuguese presidential candidate Rebelo de Sousa calls for national unity

Xinhua, November 4, 2015 Adjust font size:

Former Social Democratic Party (PSD) leader Marcelo Rebelo de Sousa and current presidential hopeful said Tuesday his focus is on bringing the country together, not leading a coalition party.

In light of the current political situation, Rebelo de Sousa called for unity between opposing parties amid the likelihood the Socialist Party would unseat the center-right minority government with a no-confidence motion next week.

While visiting a child protection association in Lisbon, Rebelo de Sousa reminded reporters that people of various religious and political backgrounds had founded the Portuguese government 40 years ago and that citizens should work together to put aside their differences for the greater good of the country.

Rebelo de Sousa emphasized the importance of creating a sense of political unity. "Great social works result from a coming together," he said, adding that political parties are not the only reality.

He went on to say that the president should not work for a party or group, as the president is not the president of a party or faction of a coalition. Also, "a presidential candidate is not a candidate for the leadership of a party nor of a coalition nor of a faction," he said.

This comes just days after Rebelo de Sousa was criticized for not speaking out against a government led by the Socialist Party despite the center-right coalition taking office last Friday and the likelihood of a motion to reject the coalition's government in parliament just days away.

As to the current political situation, Rebelo de Sousa said that a presidential candidate should not discuss concrete solutions in the absence of a government.

The presidential hopeful also said a country with "elections every six months, or year" is not good for the country, reminding reporters of the instability of the government which initiated the 1974 Revolution in Portugal.

Rebelo de Sousa was the former Secretary of State for the Presidency of the Council of Ministers and Minister for Parliamentary Affairs in the 18th Constitutional Government

The 2016 Portuguese presidential elections will be held in January of next year. Endi