Cecília Meireles and Miguel Prata Roque analyse the deadlock in the election of new judges for the Constitutional Court, on the Linhas Vermelhas podcast.
Cecília Meireles: “I see it as natural that there are judges nominated by Chega. I will have the same level of demand as I have for judges nominated by any other party”
Tuesday, 24 March 2026RSS
Context & Explainers
The Constitutional Court (Tribunal Constitucional) is Portugal's highest court for constitutional review. Its primary role is to assess whether laws, decrees, and government actions comply with the Portuguese Constitution, and it has the power to strike down or suspend unconstitutional measures.
The court consists of 13 judges — 10 appointed by the Assembly of the Republic and 3 co-opted by the other judges. It also oversees the legality of political parties and their finances, verifies election results, and rules on the constitutionality of referendums.
The Constitutional Court is frequently in the news when opposition parties, the President, or the Ombudsman refer controversial legislation for review — such as labor reforms, housing laws, or immigration policy changes. Its rulings are final and binding.
