Parliament to review loss of nationality penalty

Sunday, 31 May 2026AI summary
Parliament to review loss of nationality penalty
Photo: Expresso

The President of the Assembly of the Republic, José Pedro Aguiar-Branco, has approved a request from the Chega party to review the accessory penalty of loss of nationality. This follows a presidential veto and a previous rejection by the Constitutional Court. The Assembly will now re-evaluate the measure, which could potentially override the court's ruling if it secures a two-thirds majority.

Update: Parliament to review loss of nationality penalty

Chega has received formal confirmation that its request to re-examine the decree will proceed to a plenary session. The specific date for this parliamentary debate will be determined during the next meeting of party leaders.

Context & Explainers

Who is José Pedro Aguiar‑Branco?

José Pedro Aguiar-Branco is the President of the Assembly of the Republic, Portugal’s parliament, elected to the post in 2024. A lawyer from Porto and a senior PSD figure, he previously served as Minister of Justice and as Minister of National Defence.

André Ventura

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.