In the European constituency, the AD has selected José Manuel Fernandes as the head of the list, advocating for electronic voting within Portuguese communities abroad and promising tax incentives for retired Portuguese emigrants willing to return to less densely populated regions.
Another priority is the enhancement of Portuguese education abroad.
Maria Emília Ribeiro, leading the PS list for the region, aims to treat Portuguese citizens abroad as “full citizens” and to value them as “ambassadors of Portuguese language, science, culture, and economy worldwide.”
Her goals include strengthening the effectiveness of the consular network in scheduling, consultations, online services, and social support areas.
José Dias Fernandes (Chega), re-elected in previous elections for this constituency, focuses on electronic voting and quality education in Portuguese and Portuguese history, alongside improving consular services.
Ana Moura, heading the IL list for Europe, promises to modernize and enhance consular services and establish conditions to encourage emigrants to return, such as recognizing qualifications obtained abroad.
Her program also includes reinforcing Portuguese language education with modern digital methods and providing “transparent and sustainable” support to the associative movement.
Teresa Duarte Soares (BE) advocates for “more justice, more rights, and a better life” for emigrants in Europe, prioritizing the extension and reformulation of the concepts guiding consular areas.
She calls for consular staff salaries that match the living standards of host countries and salary increases for teachers, considering urgent reforms in the overseas Portuguese education system. She seeks more deputies elected by Emigration, currently standing at four.
Joana de Abreu Carvalho, heading the CDU list for Europe, insists on having Portuguese taught as a native language under the Ministry of Education, demanding more teachers.
Her program also focuses on associations of Portuguese people, along with providing more human and material resources in consulates.
Mafalda Dâmaso, chosen by Livre, advocates for “excellent public services and voting access for everyone, regardless of postal code.”
She proposes an accessible consular network for the entire diaspora and increased funding for RTP to enhance public service in radio and television both in Portugal and for the diaspora, along with boosting the budget of the Camões Institute for initiatives like hosting national artists at Portuguese embassies.
Paulo Vieira de Castro, representing PAN, supports increased assistance to Portuguese associations in Europe, the consular network, and Portuguese language education.
He also promotes improving the workings of the Portuguese Communities Council (CCP) and extending services offered by the Virtual Consulate.
In the constituency Outside of Europe, José Cesário, the current Secretary of State for Portuguese Communities, leads the AD list and suggests adapting Portuguese education networks and schools abroad.
He promises to launch the consulate of the future, by diversifying consular act scheduling systems and continuing programs focused on training and encouraging new associative leaders.
Developing experiences that facilitate electronic voting adoption, standardizing electoral participation models, and increasing the number of deputies elected by community constituencies are other proposals from AD.
Vítor Manuel Silva, from PS, plans to establish a crisis office focused on the deportation issue affecting Portuguese in the United States and reinforce Portuguese consulates with more personnel.
He believes it is “more than time” for emigration circles to elect more deputies.
Manuel Magno Alves (Chega), another candidate re-running for the constituency Outside of Europe, would like emigrants to “vote calmly through electronic voting.”
He advocates the Ministry of Foreign Affairs, not the Camões Institute (overseen by MFA), to promote the Portuguese language education and calls for more consulate staff who are “overwhelmed with work.”
Christian Hohn, from IL, champions “immigration with rules and dignity” and aims to give a voice to many Portuguese “living abroad and not being heard.”
He focuses on enhancing the consular network, modernizing Portuguese language education, reinforcing the role of the CCP “as a key mediation and dialogue point between the Portuguese state and Portuguese communities,” and supporting the associative movement, described as “the soul of Portuguese communities.”
Ana Isabel da Silva, heading the BE list for Outside of Europe, believes that “to ensure no Portuguese are treated as second-class, it is essential to uphold that emigrants have the same access rights to the National Health Service and other public services.”
She plans to “reinforce the consular network with more human resources and enhance the number, type, and quality of services available online and via mobile” while valuing Portuguese education.
She also calls for more polling stations in consulates for in-person voting and increased use of postal voting.
Ana Isabel Oliveira, from CDU, supports reinforcing resources in consulates and increasing support for organizations, associations, and groups that “persist and are a fundamental support for Portuguese people abroad.”
Manuel Brito-Semedo from Livre sets a “clear goal” to guarantee full citizenship for all Portuguese abroad.
His objectives include access to electronic voting, faster consular services, recognition of skills acquired outside Portugal, and promoting Portuguese culture and language.
Nelson Abreu, representing PAN for Outside of Europe, emphasizes strengthening ties between emigrants and consular representations, reviewing electoral laws to improve remote voting access, supporting Portuguese projects abroad, clubs, media, and preserving Portugal’s heritage and culture worldwide.
On May 18, Portuguese residents abroad will once again elect four deputies, with 1,584,499 voters registered in these constituencies, an increase of 37,752 from the last legislative elections.
For this election, there are 36 nominations for the two constituencies, 18 for each.
