MAI official resigns over SIRESP management irregularities

Sunday, 24 May 2026AI summary

🏛️ Government ⚖️ Legal #government-policy #public-safety #emergency-services

MAI official resigns over SIRESP management irregularities — Photo: CNN Portugal

António Pombeiro, the deputy secretary-general of the Ministry of Internal Administration (Ministério da Administração Interna or MAI), resigned on Friday following allegations of serious irregularities in the management of the Integrated Emergency and Security Network of Portugal (Sistema Integrado de Redes de Emergência e Segurança de Portugal or SIRESP). Pombeiro accused the newly reappointed president of SIRESP, General Paulo Viegas Nunes, of ethical misconduct and conflicts of interest, claiming he had previously warned Minister Luís Neves about these issues without success. The Liberal Initiative (Iniciativa Liberal or IL) has since demanded an urgent parliamentary hearing to address the situation.

Update: Opposition parties demand urgent parliamentary hearings on SIRESP

The Chega party has joined the Liberal Initiative in demanding an urgent parliamentary hearing to question Minister Luís Neves, the resigning deputy secretary-general António Pombeiro, and General Paulo Viegas Nunes. André Ventura, the leader of Chega, accused the government of ignoring the allegations and criticized the silence of the Socialist Party (Partido Socialista or PS) regarding the controversy.

Context & Explainers

The Ministry of Internal Administration (Ministério da Administração Interna) is the Portuguese government department responsible for public security, civil protection, emergency services and coordination of police forces. It oversees flood response and agencies like the Autoridade Nacional de Emergência e Proteção Civil (ANEPC), so changes in its leadership can affect emergency coordination.

The SIRESP (Sistema Integrado de Redes de Emergência e Segurança de Portugal) is the national radio communications network used by emergency services, including police, firefighters, and medical responders. It ensures that different agencies can communicate securely and reliably during daily operations and large-scale emergencies, such as wildfires or public events.

Leader: Mariana Leitão (since July 2025)
Ideology: Classical liberalism, economic libertarianism

Founded in 2017, the Liberal Initiative advocates for reduced state intervention, tax simplification, labor market liberalization, and secular liberalism under the motto "Less State, More Freedom". The party gained its first parliamentary seat in 2019 and now holds 9 seats. Mariana Leitão, 42, became the party's first female leader in July 2025 after Rui Rocha resigned following disappointing 2025 election results. Leitão previously served as parliamentary leader and has been announced as the party's candidate for the 2026 presidential election. The party explicitly rejects alliances with both far-left and far-right parties, positioning itself as the "only alternative" that won't negotiate with extremes.

André Ventura, born January 15, 1983, is a lawyer, academic, and Portugal's most prominent far-right leader. He founded Chega ("Enough") in 2019 after his PSD mayoral campaign attacked the Romani community. Chega surged from 1.3% in 2019 to 22.8% in May 2025, becoming parliament's second-largest party and making Ventura Leader of the Opposition.

His platform emphasizes immigration restrictions, law-and-order policies, constitutional reform, and contains inflammatory anti-Romani rhetoric that has triggered multiple discrimination convictions and investigations. Politically classified as far-right by international media, Ventura cultivates alliances with European far-right figures including Marine Le Pen and Santiago Abascal.