The amendment introduced by the Government to the diploma, Marcelo Rebelo de Sousa stressed, "will probably be enough to enact it".

On Thursday, the Council of Ministers approved changes to the diploma on the career progression of teachers that the President of the Republic had vetoed the day before, but the Government has refused to detail the changes as they were the result from a “direct interaction” between Prime Minister minister, António Costa, and the head of state.

Marcelo Rebelo de Sousa stressed that the previous diploma “appeared as closing the door” and revealed that he had defended, with the Government, that the document had to “in any place, even if [it was] in the preliminary phase, to leave a door ajar”.

“It is not for the future governments that will be elected, from 2026. It is to consider that, even in this legislature, a door was left ajar to continue the dialogue and social dynamisms to be able to have some freedom of expression, even if limited”, he observed.

The new diploma, according to the President of the Republic, establishes that the measures taken by the Government “do not prejudice in different contexts, namely in future legislatures, steps that may be taken, respecting what has already been acquired”.

“It doesn't say they don't harm in future legislatures only. The word namely is fundamental, for some reason it is there. I mean, among others, in future legislatures. It is such an open door for this legislature ”, he underlined.

For the head of state, this formula will be “the maximum open door that the Government understands it can give” so as not to distort its principled position and “is the minimum” for him, as “there is a difference between closed and half-open”.

“And ajar means open. Narrow but open,” he noted.

Admitting that he may be criticised for meddling in Government issues, Marcelo noted that he held talks with the Prime Minister on the subject: "What was not lacking was dialogue and the idea is not to create a conflict, it is a matter of funds", he said.

Others may also criticise him because the measure costs money and because the unions can organise fight actions, he acknowledged, defending that “it is always necessary to find ways to not close doors in relations between people, in families, in society, and in politics ”.

The President said that he had noticed that the teachers he met “were unmotivated” and he wondered “who, in the future, will want to be a teacher, if there is no sign of hope”.

“If you don't give hope, in the future, young people will do something else, inside or outside the country. And they will not go into teaching,” he added.