PM under fire as State of the Nation debate opens under multiple clouds

Prime Minister Luís Montenegro faces his toughest parliamentary test in months this afternoon as Portugal’s annual State of the Nation debate is expected to be dominated by a number of ‘crises’ – not least the government’s troubled rollout of digital marking for secondary school exams.

The four-hour debate, the last major political confrontation before parliament breaks for the summer, comes after technical failures in the new digital correction system have put the reliability of the whole process into question. Teachers have said they are taking legal action, parents are backing calls for the results to be annulled altogether – and protests outside parliament are mobilising (see story to come).

According to reports, Montenegro is expected to open proceedings with a speech of up to 30 minutes before facing questions from party leaders.

Issues due to be raised, beyond the exam marking shambles, are the ‘controversy involving the Minister of Internal Administration’, the economy, housing (or, rather citizens’ inability to secure it), labour reform and the government’s broader record.

The opposition is openly accusing the government of mishandling the transition to digital marking: the Left Bloc has called for a parliamentary inquiry, CHEGA and the Portuguese Communist Party (PCP) have demanded an urgent debate with Education Minister Fernando Alexandre (scheduled for tomorrow morning) – and the PS has decried the government’s perceived mishandling of the situation, pretty much from start to finish (which has not yet quite been reached).

As expected, Montenegro has continued to back his education minister – accusing political opponents of exploiting the difficulties. Speaking this week, he accepted ultimate responsibility for the government’s drive to modernise public administration, nevertheless defending the reform – arguing it would ultimately deliver greater transparency, reliability and speed. A few low points however came when he suggested ‘some teachers’ had exploited the technical failings that have been dogging the new system, and that the country “must get over its fear of failure”.

Beyond education – and a situation which after all affects only a comparatively small section of society (secondary school pupils, their families) – opposition parties are also expected to attack the government over a weakening economic outlook. Ministers have acknowledged Portugal could post a small budget deficit in 2026, citing the impact of conflict in the Middle East and severe winter storms.

Labour reform is also expected to feature prominently after the government’s proposed overhaul of employment legislation suffered one of its biggest parliamentary defeats – with every opposition party voting against it despite months of negotiations – but the government intent on pushing on regardless.

CHEGA is meanwhile expected to renew its attacks on Interior Minister Luís Neves over allegations that he threatened party leader André Ventura, and over claims of a potential conflict of interest involving a private contractor linked to the minister/ his wife/ the PJ and a string of insolvencies, a country house being prepared for Alojamento Local and a green swimming pool.

Today’s debate takes place in a markedly different political landscape from a year ago. Last year’s State of the Nation debate saw Montenegro announce a one-off pension supplement and fresh corporate tax cuts. It was altogether a more ‘upbeat’ moment. This year the government is very much more ‘fragile’, both in terms of public support and internal and external pressures. New polls, too, have shown that the majority of people believe the country is worse off, generally, than it was a year ago – albeit a significant majority also believes there is little point in ‘new elections’: the government should be allowed to reach the end of its mandate.

That last polling conclusion is what the government will be holding onto as the debate begins, at 3.30pm today.

Source: Executive Digest/ SIC Notícias

Natasha Donn

Journalist for the Portugal Resident.