In the report accompanying the proposed State Budget for 2026 (OE2026), submitted to parliament on Thursday by the Minister of Finance, the Ministry of Justice (MJ) sets an objective to increase prison capacity by 5% compared to the previous year. This aims to improve inmate conditions and reduce overcrowding.
Responding to Lusa, the MJ describes this goal as “ambitious” and explains it will be achieved through a combination of factors: prison renovations and the implementation of alternative sentences.
“Despite promoting the execution of alternative sentences to imprisonment, the aim is to achieve the ambitious 5% target by enhancing the number of available spots in the prison system through the optimization of prison facilities and rehabilitation of unoccupied areas,” also considering ongoing construction projects “in view of the increasing number of incarcerated citizens,” stated the MJ.
The government allocates a further 34 million euros for social reintegration targets, specifically to improve ex-prisoner employability by 20% and reduce criminal recidivism.
Additionally, 292 million euros are designated for rehabilitation programs and construction work in prisons and educational centers, particularly in reception and visitation areas.
On Thursday, the government submitted the OE2026 proposal to parliament, a day before the deadline and three days ahead of Sunday’s municipal elections.
In the macroeconomic outlook, the PSD/CDS-PP government anticipates a GDP growth of 2% for this year and 2.3% in 2026.
The executive intends to achieve budget surpluses of 0.3% of GDP this year and 0.1% the next. Regarding the debt ratio, it estimates a reduction to 90.2% of GDP by 2025 and 87.8% by 2026.
The proposal will be discussed and voted on in general terms between October 27 and 28, with the final global vote scheduled for November 27, following specialized debates.
