New Portuguese Prime Minister Jose Socrates said on Saturday that he will seek a referendum on the European Union constitution in December this year.

The government will have the Portuguese constitution amended to allow a vote on the EU charter to be held jointly with municipal elections in December, the Socialist leader said in an inaugural speech.

Socrates said that his government "will do whatever it takes to simplify the Constitution and enrich political life in Portugal."

Meanwhile, he said he will respect the "decision of President (Jorge) Sampaio" on the issue, adding that a tight elections schedule and cost concerns demanded that the EU charter vote be held along with the local polls.

His Socialists won last month's parliamentary elections, ousting a center-right government. The previous government had said Portugal would hold a referendum on the EU charter but did not set a date for the vote.

Xinhua