The electoral campaign for the municipal elections, now scheduled for October 12, will take place between September 30 and October 10. This period coincides with the deadline for the Government to submit the 2026 State Budget proposal to parliament.
The Government has announced today the scheduling of municipal elections for October 12.
According to municipal electoral law, these elections must be held between September 22 and October 14 and on a Sunday.
With the elections set for October 12, the official campaign will run from September 30 to October 10, as the law mandates it to begin on the 12th day before the election and end at midnight on the eve of the designated voting day.
The final day of the election campaign will coincide with the Government’s deadline to deliver the 2025 State Budget proposal to parliament.
During a press conference following the Council of Ministers meeting, the Minister of the Presidency was asked if this overlap could lead to the government’s influence in local elections, which he denied.
“The main reason for choosing this date was the majority expression of the political parties consulted. The previous weekend coincided with October 5, and I assure you that if we had chosen October 5, we would have been criticized for appropriating the national holiday, Republic Day,” said António Leitão Amaro.
The minister also stated that most of the budget debate would occur after the document is submitted, which will be after the campaign and elections.
“I believe the Portuguese are more than capable of distinguishing between these matters, but the main argument is the majority expression of the consulted parties,” he reiterated.
According to the Budget Framework Law, “the Government must prepare and present to the Assembly of the Republic, by October 10 each year, the draft law for the State Budget for the following economic year.”
The deadline for submitting candidate lists is set for August 18.
The municipal electoral law states that candidate lists “must be submitted to the civil court judge in the jurisdiction of the respective municipality’s seat by the 55th day before the election date.”
