Montenegro returns to biweekly debates (about 2 weeks before the State Budget)

In the first biweekly debate of the 17th legislature, on Wednesday, the discussion will open with a speech of up to ten minutes by Luís Montenegro, who has praised, in Portugal and abroad, the country's economic and financial situation, with two international agencies having raised the Republic's rating in recent weeks.

Recently, in a message on the social network X in which he marked the executive's 100 days, the prime minister argued that decisions have already been taken that will project the country "for decades".

"And, believe me, our international standing is very high, as I have just seen in the East. We all have a responsibility to focus on what is important," he wrote, shortly after returning from official visits to China and Japan.

The biweekly debate comes just days after several warnings from the Public Finance Council, including a downward revision of economic growth for this year and next, and calls for prudence in the 2026 State Budget that the Government will submit to Parliament on October 10, coinciding with the last day of the campaign for the local elections.

Following the May legislative elections, Chega became the second parliamentary party (although with fewer votes than the PS), meaning it will be the first to question Luís Montenegro, followed by PS, IL, Livre, PCP, BE, PAN, JPP, CDS-PP and PSD.

The last biweekly debate took place on February 5th, still in the previous legislature and before the early elections of May 18th, which once again gave victory to AD (PSD/CDS-PP coalition) and the leadership of the Government to Luís Montenegro.

Since then, Montenegro has provided clarifications to MPs in various formats in the Assembly of the Republic: in March, in two motions of censure by Chega and the PCP regarding doubts regarding his family's company, Spinumviva; in the motion of confidence that culminated in the resignation of the Government on March 11 and led to early elections; and, even before the dissolution of Parliament, in a preparatory debate for the European Council.

During the current legislature, the Prime Minister participated in the discussion of the XXV Constitutional Government's program, the State of the Nation debate, and, at the end of August, a debate in the Standing Committee on this summer's fires. The Rules of Procedure of the Assembly of the Republic stipulate that "the Prime Minister shall appear before the plenary every two weeks for a session of questions from the deputies," but provide for exceptions: this discussion does not take place during the months in which the Government's program is presented or the State of the Nation debate is held, during the period in which the State Budget Bill is being discussed, or during the "fortnight following the discussion of motions of confidence or motions of censure."

In the debate, Montenegro is expected to be questioned by the opposition about the persistence of difficulties in the National Health Service (SNS), particularly in emergencies, as well as regarding the start of the school year, with a shortage of teachers in 78% of schools, or vacancies in preschool.

Further to the left, the government's draft bill for the revision of labor legislation, presented at the end of July, should not be left out of the discussion. It includes changes ranging from parenthood to flexible work, in-company training and trial periods for employment contracts, as well as the expansion of the sectors covered by minimum services in the event of a strike.