Assembly may delay key institutional elections to March

Sunday, 22 February 2026AI summary

The Assembly of the Republic (Assembleia da República) is set to consider postponing votes for the Ombudsman (Provedor de Justiça), five Council of State (Conselho de Estado) members and three judges for the Constitutional Court (Tribunal Constitucional) to 6 March, RTP reports. Correio da Manhã says Chega requested the delay and PSD has agreed; for the postponement to pass none of the parties in the Assembly may oppose. The move could shift the calendar for institutional appointments ahead of local and national contests. Voters and party members should follow party statements and the Assembly schedule.

Update: Aguiar‑Branco confirms postponement to 6 March

José Pedro Aguiar‑Branco, President of the Assembly of the Republic, told journalists the vote is now scheduled for 6 March and said he hopes this will be the last postponement after parties reached a consensus to delay the elections for these posts.

Context & Explainers

Chega ("Enough") is a Portuguese far-right populist party founded in 2019 by André Ventura. It positions itself as an anti-establishment movement against what it calls a "rotten and corrupt system" of PS-PSD dominance. The party surged from 1.3% in 2019 to 22.8% in May 2025, becoming parliament's second-largest force with 60 seats. Chega's core platform emphasizes strict immigration control—ending automatic CPLP residency, deporting non-independent immigrants, implementing job-market quotas, and requiring five-year social security contributions before benefit access. It advocates radical constitutional reform, including reducing parliament to 100 members, abolishing the prime minister position for a presidential system, and dismantling public healthcare. Law-and-order policies include life imprisonment and chemical castration proposals.

The party is defined by inflammatory anti-Romani rhetoric, with Ventura convicted multiple times for discrimination. Chega maintains international alignments with European far-right figures including Marine Le Pen, Santiago Abascal, and Matteo Salvini. Mainstream Portuguese parties, including Prime Minister Luís Montenegro's government, have imposed a cordon sanitaire, refusing coalition with Chega despite its parliamentary strength.

The Council of State (Conselho de Estado) is a constitutionally established advisory body that the President consults on major acts, such as dissolving parliament or declaring exceptional states. Five of its members are elected by the Assembly of the Republic, so a delay in those Assembly votes postpones the council’s full composition and can affect which voices formally advise the President.

Pedro Passos Coelho is a Portuguese politician who served as Prime Minister from 2011 to 2015 and led the Social Democratic Party (Partido Social Democrata or PSD). His choice to stay silent during the presidential run-off matters because, as a former PM and centre‑right leader, his endorsements or comments could influence PSD voters ahead of the 8 February vote.

Francisco Sá Carneiro was a Portuguese politician who co‑founded the Social Democratic Party (Social Democratic Party (Partido Social Democrata or PSD) in 1974 and served as prime minister in 1980. He died in a plane crash on 4 December 1980; his name is widely recognised in Portugal and is used for Porto’s main airport, which expats commonly encounter when travelling.

The Assembleia da República (Assembly of the Republic) is Portugal's unicameral parliament, made up of 230 deputies elected every four years, responsible for making laws and overseeing the government. Quercus sent its letter to the government and the Assembly to push lawmakers to consider banning non‑biodegradable wet wipes and to create a biodegradable labelling rule.

The Assembly of the Republic (Assembleia da República) is Portugal’s unicameral parliament of 230 deputies elected for four‑year terms; it makes laws, approves the budget and oversees the government.

José Pedro Aguiar‑Branco is the President of the Assembly of the Republic, who in this story requested that the Committee on Constitutional Affairs examine the constitutional conformity of government measures in a proposed bill. He is using his parliamentary role to trigger a formal review of changes affecting confession rules and the rights of the defence.

Rui Rio is a centre‑right politician who served as mayor of Porto from 2002 to 2013 and led the Social Democratic Party (Partido Social Democrata) from 2018 to 2022. Known for moderate and fiscally cautious positions, he remains an influential voice in PSD debates and national politics, so journalists and party members often cite his views.

2026: Minister of Environment and Energy
Party: Social Democratic Party (PSD), Partido Social Democrata
Politician, mechanical engineer, academic

Maria da Graça Carvalho, the Energy Minister, is a Portuguese engineer and politician affiliated with the Social Democratic Party (PSD) who has served as a Member of the European Parliament and held government roles connected to science and higher education policy. Her work on research and EU policy can affect funding and regulation that matter to professionals and students living in Portugal.

The Social Democratic Party ('Partido Social Democrata' or 'PSD') is a liberal-conservative political party in Portugal that is the leading partner of the The Democratic Alliance (AD) which is the country's ruling party, with Prime Minister Luís Montenegro.

The Social Democratic Party, despite its name, occupies the centre-right of Portugal's political spectrum. Luís Montenegro, who became Prime Minister in April 2024, leads Portugal's current minority government. The PSD has been one of Portugal's two dominant parties since 1974, having formed nine governments including four with absolute majorities. Montenegro, a former party leader from 1996-1999, was elected with the highest approval rating among party leaders at 10.7 points out of 20.

The Democratic Alliance is a centre-right coalition that includes the smaller CDS – People's Party, a Christian democratic party that has historically been the PSD's coalition partner. Together, they govern without a parliamentary majority, requiring case-by-case support from opposition parties to pass legislation.