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The illuminated neoclassical facade of the Assembleia da República, Portugal's parliament, at night in Lisbon

The Finance Ministry Strips Policy Reforms From the 2027 Budget to Ease It Through a Divided Parliament

The Finance Ministry is drafting the 2027 State Budget without 'budget riders,' keeping labour-law changes and further IRS cuts out of the bill to ease it past a parliament the coalition doesn't control. It must reach the Assembly of the Republic by 12 October.

The Portugal Brief 30 Jul 2026

The Palácio de São Bento in Lisbon, seat of Portugal's Assembly of the Republic, with the national flag flying against a blue sky

Portugal's €5.8 Billion in EU Defence Loans Escapes Binding Court of Auditors Scrutiny

Portugal will borrow up to €5.8bn under the EU's SAFE defence-financing scheme, but the Court of Auditors and the Attorney General's Office are not formally required to oversee the spending — their involvement would be informal and discretionary, despite the Defence Minister's public assurances.

The Portugal Brief 29 Jul 2026

The neoclassical facade of the Assembleia da República, Portugal's Parliament, lit at night in Lisbon beside a stone lion statue

Portugal's Public Purchasing Hit a Record €24.8 Billion in 2025 as the Number of State Contracts Climbed 14 Percent

Portuguese public bodies signed a record €24.8 billion in contracts in 2025, up about a third on 2024, across 254,700 deals — a 14% jump in volume and the highest total since the IMPIC register began in 2010. Public works alone accounted for €8.2 billion.

The Portugal Brief 28 Jul 2026

The cable-stayed Vasco da Gama Bridge over the Tejo estuary in Lisbon rising out of golden morning fog at sunrise

Portugal's Motorway Operators Demand €500 Million for Pandemic Toll Losses; the Government Says They Were Never Really Hurt

Portugal's toll-road concessionaires, led by Brisa and Lusoponte, want around €500 million in compensation for the traffic they lost during the pandemic lockdowns. The government, through the IMT, refuses — arguing they were never materially harmed. The dispute is now heading into arbitration.

The Portugal Brief 05 Jul 2026

European Union flags flying outside the glass European Commission headquarters in Brussels under a blue sky

Brussels Clears Portugal's Ninth PRR Cheque of €2.3 Billion, Lifting Plan Execution to 75%

The European Commission has approved Portugal's ninth PRR payment — €2,321 million, split €1,859m in grants and €462m in loans — pushing the recovery plan's execution from 61% to 75%. Only the final, toughest cheque remains.

The Portugal Brief 03 Jul 2026

The main entrance courtyard of the University of Coimbra in Portugal, a historic stone facade under a clear sky

Parliament Forces Portugal to Pay Its Stalled Graduate Tuition Refund and Stack It With IRS Jovem, Defying the Government's Deficit Warning

On 2 July, PS and Chega approved a bill forcing the State to pay the long-stalled graduate tuition refund (the prémio salarial de qualificações) and let it stack with IRS Jovem. The PSD says the €300M measure risks a deficit. Bachelor's graduates reclaim €697 a year, master's €1,500.

The Portugal Brief 03 Jul 2026

Euro banknotes in ten- and fifty-euro denominations spilling from a white envelope onto a wooden table

Portugal's Tax Breaks Swell to €21 Billion in 2025, an Amount the Court of Auditors Says Escapes Real Scrutiny

The Tribunal de Contas (Court of Auditors) estimates Portugal forwent €21 billion in tax benefits in 2025 — 6.8% of GDP and about 37% more in real terms than in 2020. Reduced VAT rates make up roughly 60%, and the auditors want each break costed, justified and reviewed like direct public spending.

The Portugal Brief 02 Jul 2026

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