Portugal News

The Government's proposals to amend the Nationality Law will be subject to discussion in detail, without a vote, as suggested by the Socialist Party on Thursday. Restrictions on immigration and the naturalization of foreigners were debated in the parliamentary chamber on Friday morning.

After tense debate, Portugal postpones vote on anti-immigration package. Parliament decides to endorse the government's request, which manages to avoid votes in the plenary and send projects to the committee to gain time and ʽunite the countryʼ.

Lisbon, 01 Jul (AIM) - The new secretary-general of the Socialist Party, José Luís Carneiro, warned this Tuesday (01) that the legislation proposed by the Government of the AD Coalition PSD/CDS-PP, led by Luís Montenegro, to be discussed in the Assembly of the Republic (AR), the Portuguese parliament and which aims to increase restrictions on immigration to Portuguese territory and access to Portuguese nationality, is not in a position to have a favorable vote from the PS.

President of STRN says that of the "700 thousand pending processes, around 30% are Sephardic and around 30% are naturalization" of immigrants, estimating that the remainder are of Portuguese descendants.

The Union of Registry and Notary Workers (STRN) estimated this Tuesday that 30% of the 700,000 pending nationality applications are for naturalization of immigrants, regretting that the guardianship does not publish figures.

For experts, immigrants who have five years of residence in Portugal but have not yet applied for Portuguese nationality, they can do so until the Assembly of the Republic approves the Government project.

These reactions to the measures approved by the Government on Monday, in the Council of Ministers, were transmitted in parliament by the Livre deputy Paulo Muacho, by the parliamentary leader of the PCP, Paula Santos, and by the coordinator of the Left Bloc, Mariana Mortágua.

Livre, PCP and Bloco de Esquerda today expressed their total opposition to the Government's proposals that seek to change the laws on immigration and access to nationality, considering them a social setback, unfair and still dubious in constitutional terms.

The government will propose to the Parliament that citizens of CPLP countries must have resided in Portugal for seven years to apply for nationality. The period for citizens of other countries should be ten years.

Last year, Portugal registered 8% fewer asylum requests, according to data released by the European Union, which places the country in 18th place in the European ranking in this area.

In total, 2,849 applications were registered in 2024, while in 2023 there were 3,083, with the majority of cases relating to Senegal (15%), Gambia (14%) and Colombia (9%), according to the Annual Report on the Situation of Asylum in the European Union.

Of these requests, 785 cases were denied, an increase of 500% compared to 2023, when only 131 requests were denied.

Each party can request a potestative Parliamentary Commission of Inquiry (when there can be no objection) only once per legislature. In this one, Chega chose the topic of immigration.

The granting of residence permits to immigrants and Portuguese nationals "in recent years" will be the subject of a Parliamentary Commission of Inquiry (CPI) proposed by Chega. The announcement was made early in the afternoon of this Friday, June 20.

The Council of Europe's Commission against Racism and Intolerance (ECRI) on Wednesday (18) called on Portuguese authorities to adopt a firmer approach in combating hate crime and speech directed at immigrants and ethnic and sexual minorities.

In a report dedicated to Portugal, ECRI calls on the country to “improve the way security forces deal with hate crimes”. The organization, made up of 46 member states and headquartered in Strasbourg, warns of a significant increase in cases of hate speech, especially against immigrants, Roma people, LGBTQI+ and black people.

In a public position signed by more than 160 associations, collectives and individuals from different areas of social intervention, the rejection of initiatives that restrict the right to family reunification of immigrants in Portugal is demanded.