The CGTP trade-union confederation expects a large demonstration in Lisbon on Tuesday, starting at Praça Luís de Camões and heading to the Prime Minister's Office (São Bento), where it plans to deliver a petition with tens of thousands of signatures demanding withdrawal of the government's labour package. The protest happens on the eve of a requested meeting at São Bento with the Prime Minister and the Labour Minister, underlining continued union pressure after last December’s strike. For expats who work in affected areas, expect central-Lisbon disruption around 14:30 and possible concentrated media attention on any government response that could influence labour-policy timing.

Update: Multiple outlets reported that presidential candidates Catarina Martins and António Filipe attended the CGTP demonstration in Lisbon, joining the rally against the government's labour package and increasing political visibility at the event.

Compete will launch a clean-up operation to revoke PT2030 support for projects that were approved but have not started implementation within three months. The review aims to free up EU funding tied to non-executed projects; affected business owners should expect revocation letters beginning in February. The move signals a stricter enforcement of grant timelines and should prompt beneficiaries either to commence work promptly or risk losing allocated support, allowing funds to be reallocated to active projects.

The government has signed a formal negotiation agreement with the National Federation of Doctors (FNAM) and said it will continue seeking consensus with health professionals. The move opens structured talks aimed at resolving labour and service delivery issues in the medical sector, signalling a willingness to engage on healthcare policy and doctors’ demands rather than imposing unilateral measures.

The latest episode of the weekly podcast 'Ao trabalho!' examines lingering uncertainty over tuition fee refunds and the implications for pay awards that recognise qualifications. Finance Minister Joaquim Miranda Sarmento’s response on the pay-award question is discussed alongside fast-moving items on labour policy, employment law and the state budget, with analysis of what these developments mean for workers and expats. The short, under-five-minute episode aims to distil key takeaways and policy consequences for those following workplace rights and public spending.

Data from the Ministry of Labour, provided to ECO, shows companies have withdrawn more than €120 million from the Labour Compensation Fund (FCT), with the bulk of disbursements used to finance worker training. Employers can still claim roughly €517 million from the fund before the deadline at the end of the year, signalling significant ongoing demand and potential pressure on FCT resources. The pattern of withdrawals highlights how firms are reallocating statutory employer liabilities towards upskilling and may have implications for labour policy and fund sustainability.

The 11-candidate presidential debate, held in two instalments across three topics, was overshadowed by a sustained personal clash between PSD’s Marques Mendes and independent candidate Henrique Gouveia e Melo. Mendes publicly rejected allegations of impropriety — insisting “I am not a facilitator of business deals” — and branded parts of the admiral’s conduct as “vulgarity,” a dispute that punctuated exchanges throughout the evening. Amid this confrontation, Jorge Pinto’s near withdrawal and his declaration that he would not stand in the way of a potential Seguro victory illustrated how interpersonal attacks and tactical moves risked eclipsing substantive policy debate.

This analytical piece urges readers to adopt an optimistic stance for the new year and to move past complaints about the recent increase in the retirement age. It explains that demographic shifts and the strain on social security systems underpin the policy change, outlines labour and legal implications for workers — including expatriates — and argues that better communication, phased implementation, retraining and age-friendly workplace measures would protect wellbeing while ensuring fiscal sustainability.

Prime Minister Luís Montenegro uses his customary 1 January Jornal de Notícias article to renew a call for labour reform, urging a ‘winning mentality’ and changes to employment law and regulation. Framed as necessary for competitiveness and job creation, the piece signals his policy priorities and aims to steer public and political debate toward deregulation and legal adjustments. It functions both as a policy pitch and as political positioning ahead of upcoming labour‑market discussions.

The government will introduce compulsory Physical Education for 1st‑cycle pupils in public schools from the next school year, affecting around 330,000 children. The Budget Law commits to hiring the teachers needed to deliver the measure but does not specify how much will be invested or the number of weekly hours to be allocated. The lack of detail raises implementation questions — recruitment timelines, teacher training, regional distribution, and fiscal impact — and creates uncertainty about curriculum time and equity of provision across schools.

Zohran Mamdani was sworn in as New York City council president moments after midnight at the symbolic Old City Hall subway station. The unconventional timing and venue underscore a populist, reformist image and signal a break with ritualised civic spaces. Meanwhile in Portugal, opposition leader Luís Montenegro publicly defended a proposed labour reform as necessary to secure ‘decent wages’, framing it as a balance between worker protections and market flexibility. The two developments illustrate how political actors use symbolism and policy narratives to shape public perceptions: Mamdani’s inauguration emphasises accessibility and grassroots politics, while Montenegro’s defence seeks to pre-empt concerns about economic impact and social equity.

The Prime Minister has defended a government labour reform aimed at guaranteeing ‘decent wages’ by promoting better jobs and stronger pay protections, framing the measure as central to improving employment quality. Separately, António José Seguro urged an urgent restoration of social cohesion in Portugal, stressing that community rebuilding is necessary alongside policy reforms to address economic and social challenges.