The 18 January election is already the most hotly contested ever. Never since 25 April 1974 have so many candidacies been formally submitted to the Constitutional Court (TC). The institution officially confirmed it had received 14 candidacies, thus exceeding the previous maximum of 13 registered in 2016 and well above the eight registered in ...
Presidential election breaks record for number of candidates. Meet all the contenders for Belém
Friday, 19 December 2025RSS
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.
