During the general debate on the State Budget for 2026, Luís Montenegro faced questions from several parliamentary groups concerning access difficulties to the National Health Service (SNS), particularly for pregnant women. Chega party deputy Marta Silva questioned why babies are “born everywhere except in hospitals.”
The Prime Minister initially labeled such a claim as “an exaggeration,” emphasizing that births outside hospital settings constitute “a very small percentage.” He noted the importance of systematically informing why these situations frequently occur.
“I believe we all have the right to understand why certain births occur in public areas or during hospital transport. It is crucial to know the reasons and responsibilities, as well as the context of these occurrences, to avoid generalizing and potentially stigmatizing the SNS, which often is not responsible for such situations,” he said.
Montenegro then redirected his criticism toward the PS parliamentary group, stating they “were responsible for a situation that was clearly worse than the current one.”
“But we will continue to work on solutions rather than lamentations,” he added.
In the three minutes allocated to respond to eight clarification requests, Montenegro reiterated that the situation in the SNS “is better today” compared to before he assumed office as Prime Minister in April 2024. He regretted the opposition’s general line of questioning as being “marked by disbelief.”
“There are reasons to believe that your interventions are influenced by a partisan approach, unable to abandon the respective loyalties,” he criticized.
Specifically addressing Chega’s parliamentary leader, Pedro Pinto, he refuted claims that the PSD/CDS-PP Government neglects security forces and firefighters.
“That is purely and simply rhetorical,” he accused.
