The country that delays

Former mayors have taken on new roles, retired, or returned to previous jobs

Álvaro Amaro, 64, was preparing to return to teaching, but ended up being chosen by the nine municipalities in the region to be the first secretary of the new Intermunicipal Community of the Setúbal Peninsula.

Luís Campos Ferreira replaces Laplaine Guimarães at the head of the Casa da América Latina

Former Secretary of State for Foreign Affairs and Cooperation, Luís Campos Ferreira, is the new president of the executive committee of the Casa da América Latina, a non-profit association supported by the Lisbon City Council, the Ministry of Foreign Affairs, embassies, and companies, which promotes cultural, economic, and institutional cooperation with countries in that region. He succeeds Alberto Laplaine Guimarães, who was removed from his position as secretary-general of the Lisbon City Council after being arrested as part of Operation Lúmen, which is investigating a corruption scheme involving the awarding of Christmas lighting contracts. Luís Campos Ferreira, a former PSD deputy for five terms and head of the Parliament Channel, was elected at the general assembly held this Thursday. He will combine his presidency of the Casa da América Latina with his duties as secretary-general of the UCCLA - Union of Capital Cities of Portuguese Language. The Casa da América Latina continues to have Carlos Moedas as its non-executive president, representing the Lisbon City Council, while Nuno Piteira Lopes, mayor of Cascais, remains at the head of the General Assembly Board. António Valle, director-general of the Lisbon Tourism Association, remains head of the Supervisory Board, and Ambassador António Almeida Lima will continue as vice-president of the executive committee. Created in 1998, the Casa da América Latina is a private, non-profit association that divides its activities between promoting economic and commercial relations between Portugal and Latin American countries, disseminating Latin American art and culture, and focusing on tropical medicine. Cultural policies of Portugal and Brazil at the Casa da América Latina.

President of the Republic appoints Cláudia Ribeiro as Chief of the Civil Household

Cristina Correia has now been appointed to the position of secretary of the Council of State

Rules for appointing officials disregarded by 16 municipalities. Oeiras and Seixal under surveillance

An audit by the Court of Auditors (TdC), released this Wednesday, found that 16 audited mainland municipalities failed to comply with mandatory rules regarding the procedures and deadlines for appointing officials in acting roles. In a statement, the TdC highlighted that the issue involves breaches of mandatory standards contained in the Statute of Management Personnel (EPD).

Sixteen municipalities failed to comply with rules for appointing officials in acting roles

A Court of Auditors audit focused on 571 management positions between 2018 and 2025 across a sample of 16 municipalities.

Lack of human resources and thousands of cases hinder Marinha Grande City Council

Mayor Paulo Vicente shifts the responsibility for significant payment delays for aid back to the Government, stating that the central administration has created a system that overburdens and penalises local authorities.

Court of Auditors: Contracts over ten million may also proceed without prior approval, but with mandatory audits

In addition to the exemption from prior approval for contracts up to ten million euros, the proposed new law for the Court of Auditors (TdC) will allow municipalities and public services to proceed with contracts exceeding ten million euros without prior approval, provided they have robust internal control systems, including regular audits. The bill, submitted to the Assembly of the Republic this Tuesday, stipulates that this waiver is only possible for entities with decision-making and control systems accredited by the Government, following an opinion from the Inspectorate-General of Finance (IGF). Despite the waiver, contracts over 950,000 euros must still be reported to the TdC for monitoring and potential subsequent auditing. The proposal also includes exemptions for contracts related to disaster recovery, such as those following fires or storms, provided a state of siege, emergency, or calamity has been declared.

Public Administration reform

The proposed amendments to the Public Contracts Code and the financial control regime of the Public Administration do not seem to safeguard some of the fundamental purposes of public management. Opinion by Glória Rebelo

Fernando Braamcamp, defendant in the Tutti-Frutti case, has died

He was 76 years old.

Ranking of Supreme Court candidates causes unease among judges

A councillor expressed perplexity and disbelief at the results, which reportedly disadvantaged the most senior judges. Changes to the ranking criteria reduced the weight given to seniority.

Tábua, Caminha and Melgaço are the municipalities that take the longest to pay suppliers

Tábua, Caminha and Melgaço lead the list of municipalities that took the longest to pay their suppliers in the last quarter of last year, with 146, 121 and 115 days respectively. In the first three months following the local elections, six municipalities took more than 100 days to pay, according to data from the Directorate-General for Local Authorities.

Labour reform should be approved, but a "structural transformation" is needed, says António Mendonça

The former minister is “optimistic” about the reform of the Court of Auditors law.

It is not worth crossing the line

In recent statements, the Prime Minister asserted that people should feel it is not worth crossing the line or committing wrongdoing. The author agrees, emphasizing that both individual responsibility and state enforcement are essential. However, the article highlights systemic failures, such as the loss of billions in tax revenue from multinationals and the inability to collect 30 billion euros in tax debt. It notes that the tax administration has deteriorated over time, becoming less efficient. While there is progress in clearing decade-old cases in administrative and tax courts, the author argues that such delays constitute a denial of justice and that a transparent, efficient public administration is vital to honouring the values of the 25th of April.

Government official appoints boss's son to cabinet

Ana Povo gives a job to the son of the president of the Santo António hospital in Porto, to which she is linked as a doctor.

Secretary of State for Health appoints hospital president's son to cabinet

PRESS REVIEW | João Pedro Carvalho was appointed on 17 June 2024

Judge Carla Cardador, the secrecy law and CADA

We can find out who owes money to the tax authorities — and other data that the State should keep private, but does not. The famous GDPR does not apply there. But, of course, we cannot know who the political party donors are.

Silvério Guerreiro leaves Águas do Algarve following incompatibility notice

The president of the Loulé Municipal Assembly, Silvério Guerreiro, said this Friday that he decided to remain in his post and leave the board of Águas do Algarve, after the Inspectorate-General of Finance (IGF) notified him of an incompatibility and urged him to choose. Silvério Guerreiro was elected by the PSD to the presidency of the Loulé Municipal Assembly after...

The Government, after all, governs

The Government's decision to change the rules for oversight by the Court of Auditors shows courage and deserves praise. Opinion by Manuel Carvalho

Municipalities welcome end of prior visa and criticise new deadline

A new directive reduces the deadline for public administration commitments in general to 30 days. The current legal regime, with a 90-day deadline, is already being applied in an “almost impeccable” manner, argues Pimpão.

Águas do Algarve administrator resigns due to incompatibility with municipal role

The mayor of Tavira also serves on the company's board of directors in a non-executive capacity.

Agreement with unions is “another step forward” in the career review for judicial officers, says Government

The Government stated this Tuesday that the agreement reached with two judicial officer unions represents “another step forward” in the career review process and paves the way for recruiting more professionals for the courts. In a statement, the Ministry of Justice added that negotiations with the unions have been concluded regarding...

For a structural reform of the State

Medicine today does not use the same drugs and methods as it did at the beginning of the 20th century. Why does the State insist on being different?

From suspicion to suspicion until total paralysis

The revision of the Law on the Organization and Procedure of the Court of Auditors is a central piece for restoring confidence and decision-making capacity to the Public Administration. Opinion by Alexandre Portugal.

Shall we discuss regionalisation?

Administrative regionalisation is a key structural issue for the organisation of the State and a necessary response to the problem of an overly centralised country. The proposal aims to bring decision-making closer to the people by establishing regions with democratically elected bodies, thereby improving public policy, resource management, and territorial development. By shifting responsibilities from the central government to regional authorities, the model seeks to address territorial inequalities, reduce bureaucracy, and ensure that public services are better aligned with local needs.

Government creates State Simplification and Technology Network for digital reform

The Government has approved the creation of the State Simplification and Technology Network to oversee the technological reform, reporting to the Minister Assistant and for State Reform, Gonçalo Matias. According to Decree-Law no. 85/2026, the network aims to support and propose measures for the Public Administration, ensuring the development of digital public services and the unified management of state technological systems. The decree also dissolves the Council for Digital in Public Administration. The new network establishes a Coordination Commission for Digital Strategy, which includes bodies such as the Agency for State Technological Reform (ARTE) and the National Cybersecurity Centre. The network will operate across three levels—political leadership, executive commission, and technical groups—and will oversee strategic investments in AI, sovereign cloud, and data centres. Minister Gonçalo Saraiva Matias stated that the administrative reform does not aim to 'reduce the State'.

Court of Auditors: less control, or better control?

The Portuguese government has proposed removing the 'prior visa' requirement from the Court of Auditors (TdC) for contracts up to 10 million euros. While this raises concerns about weakening oversight, the author argues it is a false dilemma. The TdC faces resource constraints and a high volume of complex cases, leading to delays that hinder public investment. Instead of a universal, formal, and undifferentiated control model, the government should focus on a more intelligent, risk-based approach that prioritizes auditing where it is most needed, thereby ensuring both efficiency and effective oversight.