ABSTRACT
The Assembleia da República of 1976 was mainly thought of as a legislative institution. Emphasis was put on the legislative proceedings. Provision for control instruments was scarce and imprecise. Scrutiny was identified with ultimate control mechanisms such as motions of censure or interpellations. Control mechanisms consisted of solemn and sporadic debates which aimed fundamentally at questioning the very existence of government, rather than scrutinising ordinary government policy and public administration actions. To some extent, the control function was seen as a guarantee of democracy, rather than a practice of democracy.
