Lisbon, October 28 — In a tense evening session, Portugal’s Parliament approved the reform of the Nationality Law, reshaping the path to citizenship and stirring deep debate over identity, belonging, and politics.
The proposal was passed with votes from PSD, CDS-PP, and Chega, while PS, Livre, PCP, and Bloco de Esquerda voted against it. The bill now moves to the President of the Republic, who must decide whether to promulgate or veto the measure.
What the New Law Changes
The newly approved reform makes significant alterations to who can become — and remain — Portuguese:
- Residency requirement extended:
Applicants must now reside legally in Portugal for seven years if they are citizens of the European Union or the Community of Portuguese Language Countries (CPLP), and ten years for citizens from other nations. - Loss of nationality introduced:
Portuguese nationality may now be revoked by a court decision in cases of serious crimes punishable by four years or more in prison — including crimes against the state, homicide, or rape.
It can also be withdrawn if obtained through fraudulent means. - Children of foreign residents:
The new law raises the bar for children born in Portugal to foreign parents.- The Socialist Party (PS) proposed nationality after two years of legal residence by a parent.
- The right-wing coalition, led by PSD, CDS, and Chega, approved the five-year requirement.
- Previously, only one year was required.
- End of the Sephardic Jewish route:
The reform abolishes the special naturalization regime for descendants of Portuguese Sephardic Jews, a policy introduced in 2015 as a form of historical reparation.
The government argues the process had been exploited; critics say its removal erases a symbolic bridge with Portugal’s Jewish past. - Former colonies’ provisions remain:
Individuals born in former Portuguese colonies before April 25, 1974, and their descendants, will continue to benefit from a distinct nationality regime, provided they can prove family and cultural ties to Portugal.
The vote reveals the current fault lines of Portuguese politics.
While the PS (Socialist Party) opposed the final version of the reform, its earlier abstentions during the parliamentary process allowed the government to bring the proposal forward.
The final approval was secured through a rare alliance on the right, uniting PSD, CDS, and Chega — an alignment that many analysts view as a test of ideological boundaries and a sign of how migration policy is reshaping party loyalties.
André Ventura, leader of Chega, celebrated the outcome as a step toward “protecting national integrity,” emphasizing the clauses on nationality loss and fraudulent access.
Opposition voices from PS, BE, and Livre accused the government of “yielding to xenophobic pressure” and “turning nationality into a political weapon.”
- Residency for nationality - 7 years (EU/CPLP), 10 years (others)
- Loss of nationality - Allowed for serious crimes or fraud
- Children born in Portugal - Parent must reside legally 5 years
- Sephardic Jewish route - Abolished
- Former colonies regime - Maintained
What Happens Next
The law now awaits promulgation by the President of the Republic, Marcelo Rebelo de Sousa, who may either sign it into effect or return it to Parliament with recommendations for revision.
If promulgated, the new rules will significantly alter Portugal’s nationality landscape — tightening the criteria for newcomers, closing historic doors for Sephardic descendants, and reshaping the debate over who gets to call Portugal home.