Tuesday, 8 September 2026

Rising fuel prices have triggered protests across Portugal, including a go-slow march toward the Galp refinery in Sines and a car horn protest on the 25 de Abril bridge. Diesel prices have reached historic highs, leading to significant traffic disruptions on the IC33 road. The government faces mounting pressure as opposition parties and agricultural groups criticize the impact of these costs on the economy.

Update: Government denies profiting from fuel price hikes

Minister of Environment and Energy Maria da Graça Carvalho rejected accusations that the government is profiting from rising fuel costs, noting that VAT revenues are being used to offset tax burdens. The government also announced it will strengthen the sanctioning powers of the Energy Services Regulatory Authority (Entidade Reguladora dos Serviços Energéticos or ERSE) and extend support for gas cylinder purchases through the end of the year.

Minister of Internal Administration Luís Neves is set to appear before a parliamentary committee today to address ongoing controversies from his previous tenure as head of the Judiciary Police (Polícia Judiciária or PJ). His hearing coincides with a plenary session where the Assembly of the Republic will debate and vote on a motion of no confidence against the government, filed by the Chega party.

Update: Government survives no-confidence vote

The motion of no confidence presented by Chega was rejected in Parliament this Tuesday. The government survived the vote with the opposition Socialist Party (Partido Socialista or PS) abstaining, while other parties including the Social Democratic Party (Partido Social Democrata or PSD) voted against the motion.

The European Commission is set to introduce a proposal for common rules allowing member states to better regulate short-term accommodation platforms like Airbnb. The initiative aims to alleviate housing pressure in high-demand areas across the European Union.

The Portuguese state has officially purchased a 13.7% stake in Redes Energéticas Nacionais (REN) from the holding company of Amancio Ortega. The transaction, valued at 380 million euros, received prior approval from the Court of Auditors (Tribunal de Contas).

The government and the European Investment Bank (EIB) have signed a 500 million euro agreement, the first tranche of a 1.5 billion euro credit line. This funding supports the construction and rehabilitation of 50,000 social housing units identified in local housing strategies (Estratégias Locais de Habitação) that were not covered by the Recovery and Resilience Plan (Plano de Recuperação e Resiliência or PRR).

Public transport operator Carris has introduced 29 new fully electric buses in Lisbon, completing a 17.05 million euro investment funded by the PRR. The initiative is part of a broader 31 million euro project aimed at decarbonizing the city's fleet by 2030. Lisbon Mayor Carlos Moedas and Minister Miguel Pinto Luz attended the presentation, noting that electric vehicles now account for over 50% of the company's total mileage.

The government plans to meet with all parties represented in the Assembly of the Republic at the end of the month to discuss the 2027 State Budget (Orçamento do Estado). These meetings, coordinated by the office of the Minister of Parliamentary Affairs, are a standard part of the budget preparation process.

The Intermunicipal Community of Beira Baixa has approved 57.34 million euros to support recovery efforts following Storm Kristin. The region registered over 2,200 applications for aid, totaling 74.33 million euros in identified damages. Local authorities are prioritizing the validation of remaining applications to ensure support reaches affected businesses and residents quickly.

PCP Secretary-General Paulo Raimundo has warned the Socialist Party (Partido Socialista or PS) that enabling the upcoming State Budget would provide the government with conditions to intensify its policy agenda. Raimundo argued that such support would also relieve the Chega party of the need to act as the primary opposition, urging the PS to reject the budget instead.

Five Portuguese business schools have secured spots in the 2026 Financial Times Masters in Management ranking, with the Nova School of Business and Economics (Nova SBE) reaching second place globally. The Católica-Lisbon SBE, Iscte Business School, and Católica-Porto SBE also improved their positions, while the ISEG Lisbon School of Economics and Management made its debut in the elite list.

The Portuguese Institute for Sea and Atmosphere (Instituto Português do Mar e da Atmosfera or IPMA) has issued a yellow warning for seven districts due to high maximum temperatures. The alert affects Beja, Castelo Branco, Évora, Faro, Lisbon, Setúbal, and Portalegre, with temperatures potentially reaching 38 degrees Celsius. The warning remains in effect until 9:00 PM today.

Utility provider E-REDES has announced scheduled power outages for 6 September in parts of Palmela, Mafra, and Vila Nova de Milfontes. The interruptions are necessary for maintenance work, though the company clarified that outages will likely affect specific streets rather than entire parishes.