The fact that a member of parliament who was a victim of racism in the Assembly of the Republic is formally warned that she cannot, in the future, call her aggressors racists has another name. Censorship. Worse: censorship that gives a voice to racism and silences those who wish to oppose it.
Parliament, the Public Prosecutor's Office, and structural racism
Monday, 30 March 2026RSS
Context & Explainers
The Assembly of the Republic (Assembleia da República) is Portugal's unicameral parliament, located in the Palácio de São Bento in Lisbon. It consists of 230 deputies elected by proportional representation for four-year terms.
The Assembly's powers include making and amending laws, approving the state budget, ratifying international treaties, and overseeing the government through debates, hearings, and committees. It can also pass votes of no confidence to bring down a government, as happened in March 2025.
Following the May 2025 elections, the current parliamentary composition is led by the Democratic Alliance (AD) with the largest share of seats, followed by Chega, PS, and smaller parties including the Liberal Initiative, Left Bloc, Livre, and PCP.
