Livre Proposes Pilot for €500 'Cohesion Basic Income' in 2026 State Budget
The Livre party has announced it will put forward a proposal for the State Budget for 2026 (OE2026) to create a pilot project for a “cohesion basic income.” The measure, part of a broader package for territorial cohesion, would provide funds to individuals willing to relocate to Portugal's low-density territories. The proposed program is budgeted at 60 million euros.
Speaking to journalists at the Parliament, Livre's co-spokesperson Rui Tavares detailed the plan following a meeting with Government representatives. “Livre will propose the creation of a cohesion basic income. We will propose for the State Budget of 2026, initially with a limited universe of, for example, 10,000 people who wish to return to their low-density territory to take care of their lands,” he stated.
The proposal suggests a monthly payment of approximately 500 euros. Mr. Tavares noted that the program would operate within a “finite envelope” of 60 million euros, and he suggested that it could potentially be financed with European funds. He argued that such an income “can make the difference between a farm that is below the sustainability line and above the sustainability line or a piece of land that is not being cared for and starts to be cared for.”
The meeting with the Government also covered other topics, including the Foreigners' Law, the Nationality Law, and the creation of parishes. Livre's proposal is framed as a key measure to address the ongoing issue of depopulation in the country's interior.
In addition to the basic income, the party plans to reintroduce a proposal to extend unemployment benefits for couples moving to the interior. This would apply in situations where one partner secures a job in an interior region, and the other must resign from their position to make the move. The benefit would be granted for a limited time to help the family settle and potentially start a business.
“This is important for the country as a whole,” Mr. Tavares concluded. “We cannot just talk about cohesion during the summer because of the fires and then suddenly no one talks about cohesion.” The proposal will be formally debated during the upcoming budget negotiations.
Understand policy impacts on your Portugal property plans at realestate-lisbon.com.
