“There should not be budget rules that serve as ‘budget maneuvers’, allowing changes related to labor issues, the SNS (National Health Service), and social security. This is a starting point,” stated José Luís Carneiro, when asked about his expectations for what the Government will include in the State Budget (OE) for 2026.
Speaking to journalists after a meeting with the president of the Portuguese Business Confederation (CIP) in Lisbon, Carneiro emphasized his openness to dialogue and collaboration with the Government, noting he did not expect the executive to suddenly present such significant changes to labor laws.
The Socialist Party leader indicated that he will convey the party’s perspective on this matter in the upcoming meeting scheduled for Thursday between the Government and the PS regarding the next OE. He stressed the importance of the executive understanding that labor law alterations, which were not part of the electoral program, require prior work within social concertation and dialogue.
This stance was echoed by the CIP president, Armindo Monteiro, who criticized the Portuguese tradition of merging issues like labor law, minimum wage, or IRS into the budget text instead of addressing them individually.
José Luís Carneiro further argued that the Government’s proposal on labor matters weakens younger workers and women, “opening the door to undeclared work,” which he considers “unacceptable setbacks.”
After asserting on Tuesday that André Ventura’s candidacy for Belém should prompt a “realization” of the need to support someone from the democratic socialist camp, Carneiro refrained from specifying which candidate the PS will endorse, stating the decision will be made post-municipal elections.
“This is the timeline we’ve set for ourselves, and we have plenty of time before the presidential elections. We still have October, November, December, and January—four months for the electoral campaign, which indeed is a significant period leading up to the presidential elections,” he explained.
Carneiro also addressed the health sector’s situation, demanding that Minister Ana Paula Martins and the Prime Minister take full responsibility and clarify the reasons behind the SNS’s response failures.
