Parliament voted unanimously to extend fully paid parental leave (licença parental) to six months starting January 1, 2027, provided the time is shared between parents. The legislation, jointly proposed by the Social Democratic Party (Partido Social Democrata or PSD) and Socialist Party (Partido Socialista or PS), guarantees 100% wage replacement for 180 days. It also grants private sector employees with children up to 12 years old the right to request continuous working hours (jornada contínua), allowing a one-hour reduction in the workday with employer agreement.
Parliament Approves Six-Month Paid Parental Leave for 2027
Friday, 16 October 2026AI summary
Context & Explainers
Socialist Party (PS)
- Leader: José Luís Carneiro (since June 2025)
- Ideology: Center-left, Social democracy, pro-Europeanism
Portugal's other traditional major party suffered a historic collapse in the 2025 election, dropping from 78 to 58 seats and falling to third place for the first time in democratic history. The party was led by Pedro Nuno Santos from January 2024 until his resignation following the May 2025 defeat. José Luís Carneiro, a 53-year-old former Minister of Internal Administration known for his moderate positioning within the party, was elected unopposed as the new Secretary-General with 95% of votes in June 2025. The Socialist Party governed Portugal from 2015 to 2024, including an absolute majority from 2022 to 2024 under António Costa, who resigned in November 2023 amid a corruption investigation. The PS previously led the innovative "Geringonça" (contraption) coalition government from 2015-2019, a minority government supported by the Left Bloc and Portuguese Communist Party that reversed austerity measures and presided over economic recovery.
3 sources
- Maternity support for athletes up to one year approvedobservador.pt ·
- Parliament unanimously approves extension of parental leave and continuous working hours for children up to 12 years olddn.pt ·
- Extension of parental leave and continuous working hours for children up to 12 years approvedcnnportugal.iol.pt ·
