This vote was identical to that of January 13, in which CDS-PP and PAN voted in favour of the state of emergency, alongside PS and PSD, after opting for abstention in previous votes, held in November, December and earlier this month.

This was the tenth diploma of the state of emergency that the President of the Republic, Marcelo Rebelo de Sousa, submitted to parliament in the current context of the 19-covid pandemic.

The diploma, which applies to the period between 31 January and 14 February, prohibits or limits face-to-face classes in educational establishments including schools and universities, restricts international travel and mobilises retired health professionals, reservists or graduates abroad.

According to the Constitution, the head of state must listen to the Government and have authorisation from the Assembly of the Republic to decree a state of emergency, which cannot last more than fifteen days, without prejudice to possible renewals.

Eleven days ago, at the end of a visit to Santa Maria Hospital, in Lisbon, Marcelo Rebelo de Sousa announced that the state of emergency could potentially extend to the end of his presidential term, which ends on 9 March.

All restrictions imposed in mainland Portugal during the past 15 days, including the closure of all non-essential trade, catering and related to the ban on movement between municipalities at the weekend remain in force, the Government announced today.

“All restrictions imposed in the last 15 days remain in effect. We are not in a position to relieve in any way any restrictive measure that exist currently”, said the Minister of the Presidency, Mariana Vieira da Silva, at the press conference held at the end of the Council of Ministers.

Among the restrictions, she said, are all the “lockdown rules” already imposed, namely the closure of non-essential trade, the rules imposed on the operation of restaurants and the ban on movement between municipalities at the weekend.

“There is no relief from measures and there is every reason for everyone to take the measures in force very seriously and comply with them carefully every day, even though we are all very tired of these restrictions and we know how they affect the lives of all of us, ”added Mariana Vieira da Silva.

The Council of Ministers today approved the decree which regulates the extension of the state of emergency decreed by the President of the Republic due to the covid-19 pandemic.

The new state of emergency will be in effect between 00:00 on Sunday and 23:59 on 14 February.