Latest news and stories about transparency in government in Portugal for expats and residents.
The Socialist majority rejected a Social Democratic proposal, supported by Chega, to centralise data on damage, costs, and post-storm recovery on the municipal portal.
The initiative, proposed by the PSD and supported by Chega, was rejected by the Socialist majority in the municipal council.
The extraordinary work of Francisco Frazão at the Teatro do Bairro Alto and Rita Rato at the Aljube Museum is undeniable. By yielding to a demand from Chega, Moedas even had to appoint the director of the São Luiz to manage two theatres simultaneously. Frazão and Rato were chosen through public competition, while their replacements were appointed directly without explanation. Political purges are incompatible with merit and transparency, but Moedas knows which political alliance his future depends on.
The Prime Minister filed an appeal with the Constitutional Court following a warning from the EpT.
Lisbon City Council and EGEAC believe they do not need to provide explanations regarding the appointments at the Teatro do Bairro Alto and the Museu do Aljube. It is our duty to counter this logic, as is required in a democracy. Opinion by Aida Tavares.
The Prime Minister included opinions from the State legal service in the appeal regarding Spinumviva. Experts state that, from an ethical standpoint, Montenegro should not have mobilised the State apparatus.
With the war escalating, Chega and CDS are more concerned with flags.
The party presented a proposal for them to be reappointed in the event of a 'favourable overall evaluation'.
What do the Constitutional Court and Luís Montenegro disagree on? What are the consequences of the decision? Nine points on the judges' arguments against the Prime Minister's wishes, who will now have to submit and make public information regarding all services provided by Spinumviva, as well as the amounts held by the company in its bank accounts.
The PSD parliamentary leader stated today that the Constitutional Court's decision, which compels the Prime Minister to disclose clients of the company Spinumviva in his register of interests with the Transparency Entity, sets a “wrong precedent”.
The PSD parliamentary leader stated this Friday that the Constitutional Court's decision, which requires the Prime Minister to disclose the clients of the company Spinumviva in his register of interests with the Transparency Entity, sets a “wrong precedent.” This position was defended by the PSD secretary-general on the sidelines of a visit to a fair.
The Constitutional Court rejected the complaint filed by the Prime Minister and upheld the decision requiring him to disclose the client list of the family company Spinumviva
Opposition parties are calling for “transparency” and want to know the reasons behind the non-renewal of Rita Rato and Francisco Frazão. The PS questions whether this decision is a “quid pro quo” for Chega following public criticism made by a municipal deputy regarding the Teatro do Bairro Alto.
The Constitutional Court (TC) has ruled that the client list of Luís Montenegro's family business must be made public. According to the ruling dated March 12, consulted by ECO and reported by Expresso, the complaint filed by the Prime Minister upheld the decision not to hear the appeal he had lodged.
The Constitutional Court (TC) has rejected a complaint filed by Prime Minister Luís Montenegro, upholding the decision not to hear his appeal. This ruling mandates the disclosure of Spinumviva clients in his register of interests. In a judgment dated 12 March, the court unanimously ruled the complaint unfounded, confirming that the original appeal was submitted past the legal deadline. Montenegro had argued that the court's decision was a 'surprise ruling' and claimed it violated his constitutional rights, but the judges maintained that the appeal was filed well beyond the 15-day limit. The ruling also notes that the Transparency Entity had paused decisions on similar cases pending the outcome of this matter.
This unanimous decision means that the Prime Minister must include the company's client list in his register of interests.
Judges at the Palácio Ratton uphold the decision by the Transparency Entity to make the list of the consultancy's clients public, as the Prime Minister filed his appeal at the Palácio Ratton after the deadline.
In a ruling voted unanimously by the plenary of Constitutional Court judges, it was decided that the Prime Minister's appeal would not be heard because it was filed after the deadline.
The appeal filed with the Constitutional Court (TC) by Prime Minister Luís Montenegro – which aimed to prevent the public disclosure of Spinumviva clients listed in his register of interests – resulted in an unexpected effect on the oversight system for the assets of public office holders. While the case awaited a decision from the TC, the Entity for Transparency suspended related processes.
The Socialist Party (PS) has expressed concern over the 'opacity' within the Lisbon City Council regarding the drainage plan initiated during Fernando Medina's tenure. With project costs reportedly exceeding the initial 140 million euro budget by 20%—an increase of approximately 30 million—the PS is seeking clarification on public spending. While acknowledging the need for stability in projects beneficial to the city, Alexandra Leitão criticized Carlos Moedas for the lack of a clear completion timeline, noting that the project was originally expected to be finished by May 2025. Leitão further accused the current administration of maintaining a 'veil of opacity' across all municipal matters. The drainage project, which includes the construction of two major tunnels to mitigate flooding, was originally awarded in 2020 under the previous PS-led administration.
The Cascais PSD has officially handed over municipal portfolios to Chega, following a governance agreement approved by Chega's national leadership. The party, led by Ventura, will now oversee the portfolios for transparency and sports. In response, the Socialist Party (PS) has decided to return their portfolios in protest, marking a significant shift in the local political landscape.
The article discusses the urgent need for regionalisation in Portugal, highlighting how recent severe weather events have exposed the country's vulnerabilities due to an excessively centralised governance model. It argues that the lack of administrative regions creates a governance void that hampers effective civil protection, resource management, and policy integration. The author advocates for an elected regional level to enhance accountability and transparency, emphasizing that decentralisation must be paired with robust information systems to ensure effective governance. The piece concludes that regionalisation is essential for adapting to climate change and improving democratic engagement.
Portugal has been experiencing a continuous decline in its Transparency International index ranking since 2015, now positioned 46th out of 180 countries in 2025. This marks a drop of three places from 2024 and twelve places from 2023, highlighting ongoing challenges in preventing corruption in public office.
This analysis examines how demands for transparency from presidential hopefuls in the run-up to the 18 January election have become a tactical weapon between rivals. It explores the tension between legitimate public interest in candidates’ backgrounds and the risk of intrusive exposure of private life, reviews the legal and ethical boundaries, and argues for clearer, proportionate rules and safeguards to balance accountability, privacy and fair campaigning.
