The parliament has approved an initiative in the 2026 State Budget that mandates the government to resume negotiations with Spain for the reactivation of the Lusitânia and Sud-Expresso night train services in the first half of 2026, involving the railway companies CP and Renfe.
The proposal also stipulates that the Portuguese government, along with the Spanish government, will include night train services as part of the Iberian rail strategy, in alignment with the National Railway Plan.
The Livre party justifies this proposal by highlighting the ambitious climate goals and international commitments, noting the surprising absence of long-distance night train options between Portugal and Spain.
A proposal from JPP was also partially approved, requiring the Institute of Financial Management and Justice Equipment (IGFEJ) to conduct a technical survey of the judicial real estate in the Autonomous Region of Madeira within 120 days, evaluating structural and fire safety, accessibility, energy efficiency, HVAC, watertightness, and functional conditions.
Additionally, a proposal by Chega received approval, urging the government to launch the National Program to Combat Planned Obsolescence of Electrical and Electronic Equipment by the end of the first quarter of 2026, funded by the Environmental Fund, to ensure effective implementation with measures promoting awareness, certification, and incentives for repair and reuse.
The party notes that the program was sanctioned in the 2025 State Budget, but emphasizes the need for its effective execution as it has not yet been launched.
Furthermore, Livre succeeded in endorsing another proposal to initiate a public tender for the design and construction of the fixed sediment transposition system (Bypass) at the Figueira da Foz Bar, with a minimum budget of 18.1 million euros, which should be financed through the allocation of funds from the Portugal 2030 Program.
[Updated at 20:00]
