Portugal is celebrating the 50th anniversary of the 25th of April today with an extensive program of commemorations that includes the traditional solemn session in parliament and the parade on Avenida da Liberdade in Lisbon, but with initiatives throughout the country.
The Commemorative Commission’s program for the 50th anniversary of April 25 begins with a military ceremony in Lisbon’s Terreiro do Paço, attended by the President of the Republic.
Marcelo Rebelo de Sousa then heads to the Assembly of the Republic, from 11:30, to attend and close the traditional solemn session commemorating the Carnation Revolution.
To mark the half-century since the coup d’état that ended the dictatorship of Oliveira Salazar and Marcello Caetano, the PS, Chega, Iniciativa Liberal, BE, PCP and Livre chose their leaders to speak in parliament.
The PSD, the party chaired by the current prime minister, Luís Montenegro, who attends but does not speak at the session, has taken a different option and will place 27-year-old Ana Gabriela Cabilhas in the speaker’s gallery.
In the case of the CDS-PP, the political force led by Defense Minister Nuno Melo, the president of the parliamentary group, Paulo Núncio, was appointed.
As usual, the speeches will follow the ascending order of parliamentary representation, with PAN MP Inês de Sousa Real giving the first speech, followed by Paulo Núncio (CDS), Rui Tavares (Livre), Paulo Raimundo (PCP, Mariana Mortágua (Bloco de Esquerda), Rui Rocha (Iniciativa Liberal), André Ventura (Chega), Pedro Nuno Santos (PS) and Ana Gabriela Cabilhas and ending with the president of parliament, José Pedro Aguiar-Branco, and Marcelo Rebelo de Sousa.
At the end of the solemn session, the President of the Republic will go to the Noble Hall of parliament to visit the exhibition entitled “A Nós a Liberdade”, organized with the Arpad Szenes-Vieira da Silva Foundation and which was officially inaugurated on Tuesday.
In the afternoon, the parliament opens its doors to the public for a free program that includes exhibitions, theater and music.
The Prime Minister is also marking the anniversary of April 25 at a lunch with 50 young people from various fields, from culture to sport and volunteering, at the official residence in S. Bento, which will be open to the public from 3:30 p.m. with a cultural program that includes a musical performance by António Zambujo.
The President of the Republic will open the Belém Palace to the public and, from 6pm, will attend a ceremony with his counterparts from Portuguese-speaking countries at the Belém Cultural Center in Lisbon, which, in addition to the revolution itself, will celebrate the independence of those countries. The Prime Minister will also be present.
In the afternoon there will be the usual parade down Avenida da Liberdade, which will bring together political leaders and this year will be symbolically attended by the President of the Portuguese Parliament, José Pedro Aguiar Branco.
Terreiro do Paço will be the focal point of the official commemorations, hosting a historical re-enactment of “Operation end of regime”, which began the previous day at the Cavalry Practical School in Santarém, from 9.40am.
A replica of the column commanded by Captain Salgueiro Maia, which 50 years ago left Santarém for Lisbon, arrived at Terreiro do Paço in time to parade in front of Marcelo Rebelo de Sousa and other dignitaries.
The former army vehicles will remain in Terreiro do Paço until 12 noon, allowing citizens to interact with the April soldiers present.
