Brussels, Oct. 18, (Lusa) - Portugal's prime minister, Luís Montenegro, has "democratically" welcomed the announcement by the leader of the Socialist Party (PS) that its members of parliament will abstain in the vote on the 2025 state budget, highlighting the "sense of responsibility" thus shown by the main opposition force in the assembly.

"What I can say, from a democratic point of view, is that I welcome the sense of responsibility and the prevalence of the national interest that the PS is expressing by enabling this important instrument that can contribute to the implementation of the government's programme," Montenegro told Portuguese journalists in Brussels on Thursday evening, at the end of a 12-hour European Council meeting.

He had shortly before learned of the announcement in Lisbon by the PS leader, Pedro Nuno Santos, that the prime minister said "can only be welcomed, democratically."

Montenegro recalled the government's "very significant effort to get closer to the PS's essential concerns" in preparing the draft budget, stressing the governing coalition's "humility" in recognising that it does not have a majority in parliament.

"I am hopeful about the PS's decision to respect the will of the people and not contribute to adding uncertainty," he said.

The reaction comes after Santos announced on Thursday evening that he will propose to his party's National Political Commission that the party abstain from voting on the budget bill, both on its first reading and in the final overall vote.

At a news conference at PS headquarters, he said this decision was justified for just two reasons: the fact that only seven months have passed since the last elections and the likelihood that the rejection of the budget bill would lead to the third parliamentary elections in less than three years.

ANE/AFE/IG/ARO // ARO.

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