The proposed State Budget Law for 2026 was approved this Thursday in Parliament during a final global vote, with votes in favor from the two parties supporting the Government – PSD and CDS-PP – and abstention from PS.
The remaining parties (Chega, IL, Livre, PCP, BE, PAN, and JPP) all voted against.
This marked the second State Budget presented by a Government led by Luís Montenegro. When the vote was announced in the chamber, PSD and CDS deputies stood in applause. PS deputy Isabel Moreira announced the submission of a written vote declaration.
The final vote followed nearly two months of debate, discussion, and proposal presentations.
What did the parties say during the conclusion of the specialty discussion of OE2026?
JPP announced it would vote against the State Budget for 2026 (OE2026) in the final global vote, after abstaining in general, accusing the Government of “failing the autonomous regions.”
The sole JPP deputy, Filipe Sousa, justified the change in voting by stating the Government “preferred to keep everything the same” and viewed “mobility as a luxury, not a fundamental right in a state that claims to be cohesive,” thereby disrespecting the Portuguese in autonomous regions.
JPP announced today it will vote against the State Budget for 2026 (OE2026) in the final global vote, after abstaining in general, accusing the Government of “failing the autonomous regions.”
Lusa | 12:12 – 27/11/2025
Meanwhile, the sole PAN deputy, Inês de Sousa Real, announced she would vote against the State Budget for 2026 (OE2026), citing the Government parties’ lack of openness and dialogue as the reason for the change in voting.
Inês de Sousa Real, who abstained in the general vote, emphasized some of PAN’s amendment proposals that received approval, such as the VAT exemption on pet food purchased by animal protection associations or the expansion of Porta 65+ to domestic violence victims, but cautioned that “a budget is not only measured by what it adds, but also by what it fails to address and destroys.”
The sole PAN deputy, Inês de Sousa Real, announced today she will vote against the State Budget for 2026 (OE2026), citing the Government parties’ lack of openness and dialogue as the reason for the change in voting.
Lusa | 12:10 – 27/11/2025
The coordinator and sole BE deputy, Mariana Mortágua, described the State Budget proposal for 2026 as a “bad document,” accusing PSD, Chega, and PS of orchestrating “a farce” in the specialty process.
“The story of this Budget was written, but it didn’t have to be this way,” argued Mariana Mortágua in the closing session of the debate.
The coordinator and sole BE deputy, Mariana Mortágua, described today that the State Budget proposal for 2026 is a “bad document” and accused PSD, Chega, and PS of orchestrating “a farce” in the specialty process.
Lusa | 12:13 – 27/11/2025
CDS-PP parliamentary leader Paulo Núncio accused Chega and “the left” of approving “irresponsible measures” in the specialty phase, which will increase expenditure, maintaining his defense of the document.
“The discussion during the specialty phase also introduced some additional risks, and the Government and this majority leave Parliament with a different budget from what they proposed. And why? Because, again, recalling the bad pattern of the previous legislature, the left and Chega united to approve irresponsible measures that will increase public spending,” he criticized.
CDS-PP parliamentary leader Paulo Núncio accused today Chega and “the left” of approving “irresponsible measures” in the specialty phase that will increase expenditure, maintaining his defense of the document.
Lusa | 13:03 – 27/11/2025
The leader of IL confirmed the vote against the State Budget for 2026, considering it demonstrates “a lack of courage” and that all proposals that “could make Portugal better” were rejected in the specialty phase.
Mariana Leitão stated that the budget debate, which should be “about the future, turned into a Government self-praise show”: “The Government, at the hands of the finance minister, tried to expel politics from the Budget. And, in doing so, it also expelled vision, ambition, and any reformist spirit,” she criticized.
The leader of IL confirmed today the vote against the State Budget proposal for 2026, considering it demonstrates “a lack of courage” and that all proposals that “could make Portugal better” were rejected in the specialty phase.
Lusa | 12:42 – 27/11/2025
Taking the podium, Livre spokesperson Rui Tavares objected to the State Budget proposal for 2026, considering it keeps the Portuguese under “fiscal anesthesia,” lamenting that VAT was not reduced.
“From those taxes, which support more than 50% of the state machinery and are justified by keeping the Portuguese under fiscal anesthesia, (…) it must be said that as far as Livre is concerned, the anesthesia is over,” criticized Rui Tavares.
O porta-voz do Livre, Rui Tavares, insurgiu-se hoje contra a proposta de Orçamento do Estado para 2026 por considerar que mantem os portugueses em “anestesia fiscal”, lamentando que o IVA não tenha sido reduzido.
Lusa | 12:53 – 27/11/2025
José Luís Carneiro, the general secretary of the Socialist Party, defended in his speech that the country would fall into a political crisis if it weren’t for PS’s “responsibility” in enabling the State Budget for 2026 (OE2026), recalling the 10 years of the ‘geringonça’ then led by António Costa.
“If it weren’t for the sense of responsibility of the Socialist Party, Portugal would once again be plunging into a political crisis with unpredictable consequences,” José Luís Carneiro defended at the closing of the OE2026 debate, emphasizing that he put “the people’s and the country’s interests above all.”
The Socialist general secretary defended today that the country would enter a political crisis if it weren’t for PS’s “responsibility” in enabling the State Budget for 2026 (OE2026), recalling the 10 years of the ‘geringonça’ led then by António Costa.
Lusa | 12:43 – 27/11/2025
André Ventura, president of Chega, justified the vote against the Budget proposal by stating that the Government maintains socialist “vices” of taking from those who produce to distribute to those who do nothing, therefore using PS as a crutch.
In his statement, the president of Chega attempted to lump together the PSD and CDS Government and PS: “This Budget keeps all the vices of PS. It takes from those who work and produce to distribute to those who do nothing. In Portugal, 34.7% of the Gross Domestic Product (GDP) will be the tax burden, done by the same Government that claimed to intend to relieve businesses,” he pointed out.
The president of Chega justified today the vote against the Budget proposal by stating the Government maintains socialist “vices” of taking from those who produce to distribute to those who do nothing, therefore using PS as a crutch.
Lusa | 13:07 – 27/11/2025
The PSD parliamentary leader was the last party representative to speak, accusing PS and Chega of populism for having approved the end of a series of highway tolls, warning that these will continue to be paid “by everyone, rich and poor” through taxes.
In the closing session of the State Budget for 2026 debate in Parliament, Hugo Soares even praised the PS’s sense of responsibility by enabling the document through abstention, despite questioning the socialists’ motivation: “Tactical maneuver or national interest, time will tell,” he said.
O líder parlamentar do PSD acusou hoje PS e Chega de populismo por terem aprovado o fim de um conjunto de portagens em autoestradas, avisando que estas vão continuar a ser pagas “por todos, ricos e pobres” através dos impostos.
Lusa | 13:27 – 27/11/2025
[Updated at 13:49]
