Government Initiates Meetings with Parties on 2026 State Budget and Immigration Law
The Minister for Parliamentary Affairs, Carlos Abreu Amorim, has characterized the initial round of meetings with political parties Chega, Livre, and Iniciativa Liberal as positive, describing the climate as “serious and constructive.” Following the discussions on Wednesday, the minister reiterated the Government's position that it does not have a preferential negotiating partner and is open to dialogue with all parties. The meetings addressed several key national topics, including the State Budget for 2026 (OE2026) and reforms to the Foreigners' Law and Nationality Law.
“These meetings were a happy start, because they took place in a serious, constructive, and highly credible climate,” Mr. Abreu Amorim stated to journalists at the Parliament. He confirmed that the Government is prepared to negotiate the details of the forthcoming budget with all parliamentary groups to find common ground. This statement came after the Chega party reiterated its desire to be considered the government's primary partner for negotiations.
The executive, represented by the Minister of Finance and the Minister of Economy in addition to Mr. Abreu Amorim, presented its general policy outlines for the OE2026. According to reports from the parties present, the Government aims to maintain a budget surplus for the current year and the next. The economic forecast includes a growth rate of approximately 2%, an inflation rate slightly above 2%, and a public debt-to-GDP ratio falling below 90% by 2026.
These projections are slightly more conservative than the figures presented in the AD coalition's electoral program, which had forecasted 2.4% growth for this year and anticipated the debt ratio to be at 91% in 2025. The discussions mark the formal beginning of a political process that will define the country's fiscal and economic strategy for the near future.
The agenda for the meetings also included sensitive topics such as the legal frameworks governing immigration and nationality, which have been the subject of public debate. The government's approach to these laws will be a key point of negotiation with the various political factions. The next scheduled meeting in this series will be with the Socialist Party (PS) on Friday, continuing the government's efforts to build a consensus for its legislative program.
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