These proposals are part of a document entitled "Declaration for the quality of democracy", from the Association of Former Deputies to the Assembly of the Republic (AEDAR), an entity that brings together deputies from different political forces, from the left to the right, and which is chaired by the former socialist minister Jorge Lacão. This document, to which the Lusa agency had access, was released today, following a conference that took place in parliament, under the theme "Portugal before and after April 25, 1974". Regarding the electoral law for the Assembly of the Republic, an evaluation is requested, "without jeopardizing the fundamental principle of proportional representation in the conversion of votes into mandates", in order to "ensure a more effective index of proportionality within the electoral constituencies, a genuine identification of candidates in their respective candidacies, a more effective personalization of positions and greater political responsibility of those elected before the voters". "Reassess the requirements for party financing in order to guarantee, in a clear way, the various distinctive aspects of this financing, regarding the regular activity of political parties, regarding electoral campaigns and regarding the functioning of parliamentary groups", is another of the measures defended by the members of AEDAR. At this point, they also consider it important to reassess some legal criteria for financing "in order to prevent possible situations of disproportionate or unjustified financing". At the specific level of parliament, this document highlights that the Rules of Procedure of the Assembly of the Republic, the Statute of Deputies "and other related regulatory norms -- structural norms for the functioning of representative democracy - must necessarily be submitted to constitutional control". It is also defended that "any disciplinary rules relating to the political orientation of deputies occur exclusively within the autonomous framework of their respective parliamentary groups and only in accordance with the procedures freely established by them". One of the main proposals of the former deputies is related to the evaluation of the functioning of justice. Based on a "broad parliamentary hearing and consequent conclusive report", an analysis is advocated of the "social conditions for access to justice, the duration of proceedings and the effectiveness of compliance with procedural deadlines, the compatibility of the most intrusive rules for obtaining evidence with the guarantees of a fair trial, the risks of delays in excessive litigation, and the responsibility for recurrent violations of the secrecy of justice". An evaluation is also requested on "the reconciliation of the principle of autonomy and the rule of hierarchical responsibility of the Public Prosecutor's Office with the need for institutional provision of information on methods and results and duties of accountability by the main bodies of the judicial system". In this document on the quality of democracy, this association alludes "to the implementation of the constitutional provisions relating to regionalization, using a referendum", and presents a proposal regarding security forces. "Comply with the constitutional provision that provides for the existence of a statute for security forces, so that the necessary clarification of police functions can be carried out", it states. The missions "must have a coherent correspondence with the nature, organization and specialization of the forces and, within the scope of each one, with the statute and the condition of their agents, all in order to eliminate redundancies and discrepancies between functions and services", it is stressed, before warning of the risks of "corporate entrenchment". As an alternative, the promotion of a common security culture is supported, to which "the creation of a Higher Police Academy could contribute a lot". The former deputies also request the "updating or creation of legal regimes essential for the normal exercise of democratic life, such as the regulation of the right to demonstrate, civil requisition or intended to deal with situations of calamity or pandemic, in order to ensure the due authority of the State and the regular functioning of its bodies, without the need for states of constitutional exception". Read Also: IL deputy says she was insulted and intimidated in the Avenida parade (Portuguese version)