"A remarkable day for Portugal" with the approval of the 2026 State Budget

The Portuguese Prime Minister Luís Montenegro stated today that this is "a remarkable day for Portugal", stressing that the decisions taken in Parliament "will define life in Portugal in the following years", after the State Budget for 2026 (SB2026) and the new Nationality Law were approved in the general session.

In a statement issued at the official residence in São Bento, the Head of the Portuguese Government praised the two bills and noted their impact on the country’s stability. "Portugal is today a beacon of political, social, and financial stability", he stated, adding that this is "one of the main factors for national competitiveness" that must be preserved "on a national and international setting".

Approval of the SB2026

The draft State Budget for 2026 was approved with votes in favour by PSD and CDS-PP, abstention by PS, PAN e JPP. Chega, IL, Livre, PCP, and BE voted against the budget.

Luís Montenegro asked that when being voted in the specialist discussions, the parties "with greater representation in parliament" to take on "added responsibility" so as to not compromise the public accounts’ equilibrium. "The margin for budget amendments is very narrow", he alerted, recalling next year’s financial challenges.

This is the first State Budget proposed by Luís Montenegro’s Second Government, which has been in office for less than five months.

New Nationality Law

This afternoon too, the new Nationality Law was approved in Parliament with PSD, Chega, IL and CDS-PP voting for it. PS, PAN and JPP abstained, and Livre, PCP and BE voted against.

The Prime Minister advocated that nationality must represent "a deep tie" with the country. "Being Portuguese is not a mere formality or convenience, it is an honour and a responsibility", he claimed. "We do not wish to have Portuguese as a product of occasion."

Luís Montenegro indicated that the change in the law reinforces requirements such as integration times, knowledge of the language and culture, an effective tie to Portugal, and respect for society’s fundamental values and rules.

Immigrant repatriation and integration

The Head of Government further noted that soon, new legislation will be put forward on the return of immigrants who are illegal. The aim, he said, is to set up a mechanism that ensures "dignity, efficacy, and better cooperation with the countries of origin ".

At the same time, he guaranteed that Portugal will continue to invest in a balanced hosting policy. "When faced with chaos, we are returning to order. When faced with inertia, we are acting. When faced with crisis, we choose to reform to solve the issues ", he declared, stressing that the law that was approved "is balanced" and maintains the commitment to attract qualified talent.