“The State Budget should not become a repository of everything under the sun. It should not be a mix of all public policies nor a makeshift solution for all the political proposals that parties, quite legitimately, have the right to present,” remarked the head of the executive.
The executive leader was speaking in parliament during the general debate on the 2026 State Budget proposal presented by the PSD/CDS-PP government, which already has guaranteed approval with the PS’s abstention. This comes after Free Party spokesperson Rui Tavares reiterated the accusation that the executive intends to “diminish the parliament’s role” during the specialized phase.
Tavares criticized the government for “presenting the budget as a purely technical document, pressuring the parliament not to amend it during the specialized phase, while the parliament is self-limited by the brake norm.”
“But for the brake norm to exist, the parliament must be able to fulfill its role during the budget, which is to help people,” he warned.
In response, executive leader Luís Montenegro dismissed any attempt to undermine the debate process in parliament and argued that parties can present initiatives outside the budgetary debate period.
“Frankly, Mr. Deputy, are you now waiting all year for the State Budget because that’s when all your political initiatives will be addressed?” he questioned.
At the debate’s start, Rui Tavares accused the State and Finance Minister, Joaquim Miranda Sarmento, of referring to legitimate “budget riders” as mere “wandering knights,” pointing out that measures like the current Green Rail Pass originated from a proposal by the Free Party during the specialized phase of a previous budget.
Montenegro seized the opportunity to announce that “over 650,000 passes have already been issued under these circumstances,” greatly surpassing the Free Party’s initial idea.
“Therefore, Mr. Deputy Rui Tavares, I do not know the Free Party’s final stance, but judging from your interventions, I would say there is room for the Free Party to chart a path to contribute to Portugal’s future,” stated the Prime Minister.
The Free Party will decide its voting stance in the general debate tonight, during a meeting of the Assembly, the highest body between congresses.
