Latest news and stories about civil rights in government in Portugal for expats and residents.
Starting 23 September, a new law prohibits the use of clothing in public spaces intended to conceal or hinder the display of the face. Violations can result in fines of up to 3,000 euros, while coercing others to cover their faces may lead to imprisonment. The legislation includes specific exceptions for health, safety, weather, and professional requirements.
President António José Seguro has enacted a new law prohibiting the full covering of the face in public spaces, often referred to as the burqa law. The President stated the measure promotes social trust, gender equality, and security, while acknowledging the sensitivity of the cultural and social issues involved. The legislation aligns with European Court of Human Rights precedents regarding public identification.
António José Martins Seguro (born March 11, 1962, in Penamacor) is a lawyer, political scientist, and the current President of the Portuguese Republic, inaugurated on March 9, 2026 after winning the two-round presidential election in January–February 2026.
Career: He led Socialist Youth (1990–1994), served as MEP (1999–2001), was Minister Adjunct to PM António Guterres (2001–2002), and led the PS parliamentary group (2004–2005). Elected PS Secretary-General in 2011 with 68%, he led the opposition during Portugal's bailout era. In 2014, António Costa defeated him in party primaries by a landslide, prompting Seguro's resignation and a decade-long retreat from politics. He returned in 2025, launching the movement UPortugal and announcing his presidential candidacy in June. He received official PS backing in October 2025 and won the presidency in February 2026.
Political philosophy: Seguro positions himself as representing a "modern and moderate" left, advocating financial responsibility while opposing austerity. As President, he has emphasized institutional trust, efficient governance, and a collaborative relationship with the government while maintaining rigorous constitutional oversight.
Portugal has officially enacted legislation prohibiting the use of the burqa in public spaces, sparking a complex debate regarding civil rights, legal policy, and the balance between religious expression and national reform.
An analytical examination of how modern penal reforms are shifting criminal proceedings away from legal guarantees toward a system defined by arbitrary coercion and confession.
Those who ignore the Cass Review, the WPATH Files, and what a court has brought to light are not defending science. They are defending a script.
PRESS REVIEW | Considering only the first half of the year, 378 change requests were submitted in 2026, compared to 269 in the same period last year.
The protest started at Marquês de Pombal and went down Avenida da Liberdade.
Law 58/2026 prohibits the use, in public spaces, of “clothing intended to conceal or obstruct the display of the face”
Seguro signs the legislation regarding the burqa into law.
The President of the Republic promulgated this Tuesday the so-called 'burqa law', the decree-law from the Assembly of the Republic that establishes security and prevention rules regarding citizen identification to be adopted in public spaces. For António José Seguro, this is a 'matter of great social and cultural sensitivity, where it is extremely difficult...'
There is something deeply revealing in how our MPs decide, within the same timeframe, two seemingly contradictory things: they refuse more video surveillance in Parliament corridors, citing privacy and the freedom to move and talk without feeling watched; yet, at the same time, many parties continue to defend, or accept without much resistance, the expansion of video surveillance on streets, public transport, and common spaces as a tool to fight crime. The article highlights the asymmetry in this stance, arguing that the privacy concerns MPs claim for themselves—such as the freedom to communicate and negotiate without scrutiny—should also be extended to ordinary citizens in public spaces, rather than being treated as a privilege dependent on holding political office.
Law no. 34/2026 introduces significant changes to the Criminal Procedure Code, creating a system where the ability to exercise defence rights is tied to economic status. By introducing fines for procedural acts deemed 'dilatory' without requiring proof of bad faith, and conditioning the right to appeal on the payment of these fines, the law effectively creates a two-tier justice system that discriminates against those with fewer financial resources.
Until now, we assumed that the Liberal Initiative did not identify with a “paternalistic state that forces an equality of results”, in this case, that all women must unveil their faces. We assumed wrong. Opinion by Jorge Menezes
The leader of Chega argued today that the approval of the 'burqa law' constitutes a 'great civilisational advance' and warned that a potential veto could 'open the door for the greatest atrocities to be committed in the name of religion'.
Portugal’s right-wing parties have approved a bill banning the concealment of faces in public spaces at committee stage – paving the way for a final parliamentary vote after months of The post Burqa ban approved by parliamentary committee appeared first on Portugal Resident.
Deputies from the Committee on Constitutional Affairs, Rights, Freedoms and Guarantees have once again postponed the vote on a Chega bill that would prohibit face coverings in public spaces, commonly referred to as the 'burqa law'. The postponement was proposed by the PSD, with only Chega opposing the delay. The PSD, which previously voted in favour of the bill in general terms, has indicated that the current text requires amendments, specifically regarding the scope of prohibited accessories and the severity of the proposed sanctions, which they argue should be less stringent than the three-year prison sentence suggested by Chega.
Renato Miguel do Carmo, an expert consulted by the OECD for the study underpinning the creation of the PSU, warns that the social work, as proposed, 'compromises basic citizenship rights'.
As the Portuguese Bar Association approaches its centenary on 12 June 2026, this piece reflects on the role of lawyers as the final bastion of civil liberty. It critiques the current judicial system, arguing that the concept of 'equality of arms' is a fiction, particularly in criminal law where the state holds overwhelming power. The author calls for a fearless and independent legal profession to continue resisting state overreach and protecting the rights of citizens and businesses against the encroachment of power.
Protests take place in Lisbon and Porto to speak out against racism.
Thousands came together in Lisbon yesterday to take part in the 27th LGBTQIA+ Pride March (bringing together lesbians, gays, bissexuals, transexuals, intersexuals and ‘other identities’). Under the banner “no silence, The post 50,000 take part in Lisbon’s 27th ‘LGBTQIA+ Pride March’ appeared first on Portugal Resident.
Thousands of people gathered in Lisbon this Saturday afternoon for a march for LGBTI+ rights and against the risk of setbacks.
Thousands of people gathered today in Lisbon for a march for LGBTI+ rights, against the risk of setbacks.
