Thursday, 11 June 2026

President of the Republic António José Seguro has returned a decree to Parliament that sought to prohibit the display of ideological, partisan, or associative flags on public buildings. The bill, which had been approved in April with support from the PSD, Chega, and CDS-PP, was sent back without promulgation. The President's specific reasoning for the veto will be disclosed following a formal reading in the Assembly of the Republic.

The Portuguese national team secured a 2-1 victory against Nigeria in their final preparation match at the Dr. Magalhães Pessoa Stadium in Leiria. Goals from Pedro Neto and Francisco Conceição helped the squad, led by coach Roberto Martínez, finalize their preparations before heading to the 2026 FIFA World Cup in the United States.

President António José Seguro and Prime Minister Luís Montenegro marked their first joint Portugal Day commemorations on Terceira Island in the Azores. The two leaders emphasized national unity and their alignment, with Seguro highlighting his commitment to supporting the government's program during his first three months in office.

Update: President Seguro's first Portugal Day speech draws mixed reactions

President António José Seguro used his first June 10th address to advocate for long-term reforms and warn against political polarization. While major parties praised his call for stability and dialogue, the Chega party leader André Ventura criticized the speech for failing to address specific judicial controversies, and the Left Bloc (Bloco de Esquerda or BE) suggested the President should have taken a more interventionist stance.

The European Central Bank (Banco Central Europeu or BCE) is widely expected to increase its benchmark interest rate by 0.25 percentage points to 2.25% during its meeting this Thursday. Economists and investors anticipate the move as a measure to curb inflation, which the central bank aims to stabilize at 2%.

Update: Finance Minister disagrees with ECB interest rate hike

The ECB confirmed the 0.25 percentage point increase to 2.25% on Thursday, citing inflationary pressures from the ongoing conflict in the Middle East. Portuguese Finance Minister Joaquim Miranda Sarmento stated he respects the decision but disagrees with the move, arguing that the current economic crisis differs from 2022 and that the hike was not necessary.

The government's proposed labour package, submitted to the Assembly of the Republic by Minister Maria do Rosário da Palma Ramalho, is facing significant criticism for its perceived lack of dialogue with unions and the digital sector. Chega leader André Ventura has expressed openness to negotiation but threatened to vote against the proposal in the upcoming general debate.

The Public Prosecution Service (Procuradoria-Geral da República or PGR) has prohibited magistrates from using artificial intelligence to predict the probability of conviction or the risk of recidivism among defendants. The new rule mandates that AI tools may only serve as auxiliary instruments and cannot be used to generate automated profiles for suggesting coercive measures.

The Deposit and Refund System (Sistema de Depósito e Reembolso or SDR), known as Volta, has collected over 10 million containers in its first two months of operation. Consumers pay a €0.10 deposit per container at the time of purchase, which is refunded when they return the empty items to one of the 2,500 collection points nationwide.

The European Pact on Migration and Asylum officially entered into force this week, aiming to harmonize entry rules and manage migration flows across the European Union. Minister of the Presidency António Leitão Amaro described the pact as a necessary measure to curb illegal immigration while simultaneously promoting safe, regular migration channels that respect fundamental rights.

The Santa Maria da Feira Court has convicted former Oliveira de Azeméis mayors Hermínio Loureiro and Isidro Figueiredo for malfeasance related to the illegal awarding of public contracts. Both men received suspended prison sentences for their roles in the corruption case.

Approximately 200 people demonstrated in Porto on Portugal Day to honor victims of hate crimes. Organized by the associations Vida Justa and SOS Racismo, the protest marched to Campo 24 de Agosto, a site where two Algerian immigrants were attacked by a neo-Nazi group two years ago.

The European Commission is reviewing Portugal's implementation of the new European Pay Transparency Directive and may initiate infringement proceedings for non-compliance. The directive requires companies to justify salary criteria, moving away from traditional pay models based on negotiation or personal favoritism.

The Portuguese Institute for Sea and Atmosphere (Instituto Português do Mar e da Atmosfera or IPMA) has warned that temperatures in mainland Portugal will rise between June 10 and 13, reaching highs of 35°C to 40°C. This follows a recent heatwave in May that lasted 9.5 days, ranking as the second longest on record since 1964.

Portuguese politicians Seguro and Montenegro mark the national holiday with a joint appearance for the first time.