The discussion on nationality law has been postponed for the second time after the ruling Socialist Party initially delayed it last week to further review the initial proposal by the PSD and CDS, which had been submitted shortly before.
The debate is now scheduled to occur after the Thursday afternoon plenary session, with the intention of voting on the bill within the month as planned by the Government.
In the meantime, the Socialist Party, Liberal Initiative, and Livre have presented alternative proposals, and Chega has submitted new documents to the parliamentary committee on Constitutional Affairs, Rights, Freedoms, and Guarantees. Additionally, the PSD and CDS have modified their initial proposal.
The Government parties suggest a subsidiary penalty of losing nationality for naturalized foreigners committing a serious crime within ten years of obtaining citizenship, while Chega now proposes extending this period to 20 years.
Chega also advocates that a child born in Portugal to foreign parents should only request nationality if “one of the parents has legally resided in Portuguese territory for at least three to five years,” a proposal adopted by the PSD/CDS in their amendment.
Chega further recommends that nationality requests can only be made by individuals who have not “received social support in the last three years of residence,” referencing a series of associated documents.
Conversely, the Socialist Party calls for balance and political consensus in revising nationality law, suggesting shorter periods than the Government’s proposal for the naturalization regime and special guarantees for CPLP and European Union citizens, proposing a legal residence period of at least five years.
The Government’s proposal extends this to seven years for CPLP citizens and ten years for others. Meanwhile, PSD and CDS have aligned European Union citizens’ status with that of CPLP nationals.
On Tuesday, the Liberal Initiative presented an amendment advocating for a general rule of ten years to obtain Portuguese nationality, allowing for seven years if stricter criteria are met, whereas Livre requested greater protection for refugees and their children.
The Government has also included an amendment to the Penal Code stating that the court should consider the defendant’s “disregard for constitutional values, national community, and the integrity and security of the Portuguese State,” along with their “degree of family and community integration,” while preventing the imposition of penalties based on “political motives.”
Previously, the debated proposal had introduced a transitional regime starting on June 19, as the government had argued the measure was already included in its program and due to the high number of naturalization requests. However, these requirements have been dropped in the latest parliamentary discussions.
