The Council of Ministers approved a decree extending the storm support scheme and the simplified reconstruction regime from about 90 municipalities to the whole country, when damage can be shown to come from the recent storms. The measure, announced by the Minister of the Presidency, António Leitão Amaro, lets affected homeowners and businesses access faster procedures and reduced red tape for repairs. Property owners and those with storm damage should check municipal guidance on eligibility and the required documents; those unsure about proof requirements should contact their local Câmara.
Update: Minister resigns after storm response criticism
Media reporting and opinion pieces say successive storms exposed weaknesses in the state's emergency response, especially in Coimbra and Leiria, prompting wider public debate. The government has framed the recovery under the Portugal Transformation, Recovery and Resilience Programme (PTRR), while Civil Protection (Proteção Civil) rejected claims of service failure; the Minister of Internal Administration has since resigned, according to one outlet.
