^ abLeal, Ernesto Castro (2016). "The Political and Ideological Origins of the Estado Novo in Portugal". Portuguese Studies. 32 (2): 128–148. ISSN2222-4270. In his Projecto de Estatuto Nacional, of 1916, Machado Santos further proposed a bicameral Congress of the Republic, with a Chamber of Deputies and a Senate, the latter being composed of senators from the municipalities and overseas provinces, and from social and religious interests (formed of clergy from all confessions), as well as professionals.