The document, ratified by the Council of Ministers on Thursday, was submitted to the Assembly of the Republic on Saturday. It encompasses measures previously outlined in the AD’s electoral program, such as reductions in IRS and IRC, increases in wages and pensions, alongside new commitments.
A significant aspect is the planned state reform, resulting in an autonomous ministry within the PSD/CDS-PP Government. The government has dismissed the possibility of layoffs or wage cuts for public employees. Plans include changes to labor laws, revisions to the strike legislation, alteration of the Health Basic Law, and the advancement of the defense investment commitment to 2% of GDP for this year.
Enhanced immigration control is also a crucial element of the agenda spearheaded by Luís Montenegro’s second administration. The introduction of a transformative agenda outlines ten priority axes for government action.
These priorities include income policies, state reform, wealth creation, “regulated immigration,” quality public services supplemented by private entities, local security, expedited justice, solutions to the housing crisis, development of new infrastructures, execution of the “Água que Une” project, and strategic defense investment reinforcement.
Upon presenting the program, Minister of Parliamentary Affairs Carlos Abreu Amorim emphasized that the document is a four-year plan aimed at “transforming the country” while committing to engage “with all parties.”
Following the initial presentation by the Prime Minister, a 90-minute question and answer session will occur with the ten political forces seated in the XVII legislature, beginning with Chega — now the second-largest parliamentary party — followed by PSD, PS, IL, Livre, PCP, CDS-PP, and the single deputies from BE, PAN, and JPP, the latter being the only newcomer.
The proceedings will continue with approximately four and a half hours of debate on the document, with several ministers scheduled to speak throughout the parliamentary afternoon.
On Monday, the Government announced the inclusion of 80 measures from the opposition in the PSD/CDS-PP’s executive program: 27 from Chega, 25 from PS, 16 from IL, six from Livre, two each from PCP and PAN, and one each from BE and JPP.
Besides the government program discussion, the opposition is set to address recent attacks linked to far-right groups. PCP and BE have already requested the government amend the final version of the 2024 National Internal Security Report (RASI) to reflect these threats.
On Wednesday morning, around two hours are allocated for the closure period, featuring speeches from parties (this time in ascending order) and the Government, followed by the vote on the PCP’s motion of rejection, which PS and Chega have already declared their intention to block.
Only after the Government’s program is reviewed and not rejected will the 25th Constitutional Government, inaugurated on June 5, fully assume its responsibilities.
Additionally, today marks a renewed attempt to elect the names proposed by Chega for Vice-President and Deputy Secretary of the Assembly of the Republic after Diogo Pacheco de Amorim and Filipe Melo narrowly missed achieving the required absolute majority on the first day of the legislature, June 3.
