His call came as Germany, France and Italy unveiled a formal proposal for a new system of compulsory quotas for European Union member states where receiving refugees is concerned.


"I think we have to do more, I think we have to commit ourselves more, also in the name of what have been many of the values of our past, in the name of what are many of the values of our history, of our culture," Sampaio da Nóvoa told journalists in a break from a meeting with leaders of Portugal's second-largest trade union federation, the UGT.


There should, he argued, be more of a commitment to human rights, "a question [that is] absolutely decisive for Europe and for the world."


In his meeting with the UGT, he said, he had discussed unemployment and workers' rights, which he said had been attacked under the current governing coalition.


UGT secretary-general Carlos Silva expressed satisfaction at a presidential candidate defending workers' rights.


On comments by Rui Rio, a former mayor of Porto, that he would only announce any presidential bid after next month's general election, Sampaio de Nóvoa said "it is necessary for people to have the courage to present themselves in good time to the Portuguese, with transparency" and "without being influenced by party A or party B" or opinion polls.


"A President of the Republic who allows himself to be influenced by all those things would also be influenced later, when President," he argued.