The agreement between the two parties' parliamentary groups was announced in a statement by the Socialists. The PS and PSD agreed to postpone the parliamentary elections to replace the missing judges for the Constitutional Court until the beginning of May. The parties will wait for the departure of one more judge from the Court. Chega claims to have given its approval to the postponement.
PSD and PS reach political agreement on composition of lists for external bodies and postpone Constitutional Court elections
Tuesday, 7 April 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.
