Portugal government attacks censure motion’s “negativity” and announces tax relief

Portugal’s Prime Minister Luís Montenegro used a parliamentary debate on a censure motion to denounce what he called the initiative’s “negativity” and announce new tax measures for pensioners and families.

The motion, presented by the far-right Chega party, “brought neither credible alternatives nor a new direction of government,” Montenegro said. Instead, he described it as bringing “negativity, malice and political foam,” while insisting that his centre-right government remained focused on solving concrete problems for Portuguese people.

Montenegro announced two measures that still require approval by the Council of Ministers. The first would provide a progressive extraordinary supplement to pensioners receiving up to 1.611,13 euros. Worth about 400 million euros, it would be paid with the December pension and benefit two million pensioners.

“

This motion brought neither credible alternatives nor a new direction of government. It brought negativity, malice and political foam.

The second measure would reduce personal income tax through the sixth bracket, covering people earning about 43,000 euros. Montenegro said the reduction, also valued at 400 million euros, would in practice reach all income-tax payers because of the progressive tax system. Workers would feel the relief through lower withholding in November salaries and Christmas bonuses, he said.

The prime minister linked the measures to the country’s economic performance and his government’s financial and budgetary management. He made the announcements in response to Chega’s motion, which focused on controversies surrounding Luís Neves, the former director of Portugal’s Judicial Police who is now interior minister. Neves appeared before a parliamentary committee hours before the debate. Montenegro also reviewed his government’s record over the past two years in health, education and migration-law reform. It is the first censure motion faced by his government in the current legislative term.

“

We will continue building a renewed, more modern Portugal, but always balanced, freer but always responsible, more attractive and welcoming but always with our culture and identity.