The biweekly debates are held in alternating formats, one initiated by the Prime Minister and the next by the parties in rotation. This time, the Social Democrats have the opportunity to question Luís Montenegro first, followed by Chega, PS, IL, Livre, PCP, CDS-PP, BE, and PAN, in a discussion projected to last 113 minutes.
The opposition is expected to focus on the draft labor law reform proposed by the government, currently under discussion in social consultation, and serving as the main reason for the general strike called by the two trade union centers for December 11, the first since this government took office and the first since 2013, when Portugal was under the ‘troika’ intervention.
Both the Prime Minister and the PSD highlighted this week the significance of this “labor law reform” for the country’s economic growth, alongside two other reforms: of the state and of taxation.
In an initiative with entrepreneurs in Santa Maria da Feira (Aveiro) on Tuesday, Luís Montenegro argued that the country will not overcome its routine issues unless it progresses with labor law amendments, taking advantage of the “good condition” currently being experienced.
Montenegro stated that the government is acting within a “triangle of intervention,” combining taxation, combatting bureaucracy, and labor legislation flexibility, which should have “an even more virtuous effect on the economy, in the lives of companies, and the financial system.”
“If we don’t do it, we will not escape the routine. And we do not want a Portugal of routine. We want a vibrant Portugal,” he declared.
On Wednesday, during a political statement in parliament, PSD vice-president and former Secretary of State, Cristina Vaz Tomé, reiterated the same message, emphasizing that “tax reform, state reform, and labor reform” are “three essential pillars” to enhance the country’s economic growth.
Other topics that may be raised by the opposition during the debate with the Prime Minister include the reduction of the discount on tax for petroleum products announced last Friday by the government, which has already received criticism from PS and Chega, as well as the situation in healthcare, the execution of European funds, and issues in justice.
On Wednesday, the magazine Sábado released a summary of transcriptions from wiretaps involving former Prime Minister António Costa regarding Operation Influencer, an investigation by the Public Ministry into the installation of a data center in Sines, which led to his resignation as head of government in November 2023.
The last biweekly debate involving Luís Montenegro in parliament occurred on September 24 and was marked by announcements in the housing sector and calls for the opposition’s responsibility in the 2026 State Budget, which was later approved in the final global vote with the PS’s abstention.
Immediately following the biweekly debate, the Prime Minister will respond to deputies regarding the upcoming European Council meeting, scheduled for December 18 and 19, 2025, which is expected to focus on Ukraine’s financing and negotiations for the next Multiannual Financial Framework (2028-2034).
