Socialist Party (Partido Socialista or PS) Secretary-General José Luís Carneiro announced he will propose that his party abstain during the upcoming vote on the 2027 State Budget. Prime Minister Luís Montenegro has secured this path to political stability by providing guarantees on constitutional revision, pension protection, and the Recovery and Resilience Plan (Plano de Recuperação e Resiliência or PRR). Finance Minister Joaquim Miranda Sarmento welcomed the move as positive for the country, though he warned against distorting the budget during the specialty phase.
PS likely to abstain on 2027 State Budget
Wednesday, 30 September 2026AI summary
Context & Explainers
José Luís Carneiro is a Portuguese politician and member of the Socialist Party (Partido Socialista or PS). He served as the Minister of Internal Administration (Ministro da Administração Interna) from 2022 to 2024 and currently holds a seat in the Assembly of the Republic (Assembleia da República).
The PRR (Plano de Recuperação e Resiliência) is Portugal's national program under the EU's NextGenerationEU recovery fund, worth approximately €22.2 billion — roughly €16.6 billion in grants plus €5.6 billion in loans. Approved in 2021, it funds reforms and investments across housing, digital transition, climate action, healthcare, and public administration.
Payments from the European Commission are tied to specific milestones and targets. Missed deadlines or incomplete reforms can delay disbursements, affecting public works, infrastructure projects, and social programs that depend on PRR funding.
The PRR is one of the largest investment programs in Portugal's recent history and touches areas from affordable housing construction to hospital modernization, school renovation, and green energy transition. Progress is monitored by the European Commission through regular reviews.
8 sources
- 2027 budget already approved: PS says Montenegro took “a step towards political stability”expresso.pt ·
- Carneiro proposes abstention on the 2027 State Budget after Government provides guarantees to PS conditionspublico.pt ·
- “The PS decision is very positive for the country”. Sarmento reacts to the abstention announced by Carneiro in the State Budget voteeco.sapo.pt ·
- Budget: Carneiro to propose abstention to PS bodiesrtp.pt ·
- State Budget 2027: Government welcomes PS's likely abstention as “very positive for the country”dn.pt ·
- 2027 State Budget: Carneiro to propose abstention to PS bodiesobservador.pt ·
- Carneiro to propose PS abstention on the 2027 State Budget vote to party bodiescmjornal.pt ·
- "It is a very positive decision": Government welcomes PS's likely abstention on the 2027 State Budgetcnnportugal.iol.pt ·
