Cross-party deadlock on tax relief

The Portuguese Parliament rejected all 14 opposition initiatives aimed at mitigating the rising cost of living during a two-and-a-half-hour protest debate called by Chega on Thursday, 24 September 2026. The package comprised draft bills and non-binding resolution projects from six opposition parties targeting value-added tax rates on fuel and food items, as well as tolls on the 25 de Abril and Vasco da Gama bridges. The government chose not to attend the plenary session, drawing condemnation from both the Socialist Party (PS) and Chega. Chega advocated for reducing fuel VAT from 23% to 13% and exempting essential foods, whereas the PS proposed a temporary three-month reduction subject to monthly review alongside a permanent pension supplement funded through corporate income tax adjustments.

Failed negotiation over fuel and food VAT

Throughout the afternoon session, Chega leader André Ventura repeatedly extended an offer to PS Secretary-General José Luís Carneiro to exchange votes and pass both parties' measures. Under Ventura's proposal, Chega pledged to endorse the PS resolution if the Socialists voted for Chega's legislative bill. Carneiro rejected the agreement, arguing that Chega's bill would only take effect in January 2027 to comply with constitutional spending limits, while immediate relief was required. Carneiro also maintained that tax policy decisions belong to the executive branch under the separation of powers.

“We are not in an auction exercise. It is an exercise in seriousness, in responsibility. On the day we put the state up for auction, the most vulnerable will suffer.”

Ventura defended his financing model by contrasting the tax cut with recent public expenditures. He stated that the state recently spent 390 million euros purchasing shares in national grid operator REN, while lowering fuel VAT to 13% for the final three months of the year would cost 300 million euros.

REN share purchase390

Three-month fuel VAT cut300

REN share purchase

390 M€

Three-month fuel VAT cut

300 M€

Data from the article text

Heated plenary clashes and gallery reprimands

The debate escalated into sharp verbal confrontations across party benches, prompting repeated interventions from parliamentary leadership. Social Democratic Party (PSD) parliamentary leader Hugo Soares accused Ventura of reckless fiscal management, directly comparing him to former Socialist Prime Minister José Sócrates and labeling him a political fraud.

“The new engineer José Sócrates of Portuguese politics has definitely been found. Deputy André Ventura defends for the country's future the same thing that engineer José Sócrates brought us. For Deputy André Ventura, it does not matter how much, how, where, what matters is the path, and his path is to lead the country to bankruptcy.”

Parliament President José Pedro Aguiar-Branco issued two reprimands to Soares over the language used during his speech. Aguiar-Branco also stepped in to grant Ventura additional speaking time after PS parliamentary leader Eurico Brilhante Dias repeatedly interrupted the Chega leader. Brilhante Dias accused Chega of betraying voters by previously voting against PS measures in April 2026 and postponing relief measures until 2027.

Detailed voting outcomes across benches

During the final roll call, cross-party voting patterns caused every measure to fail. Chega's draft bill to cut fuel VAT faced rejection as the PSD, PS, and CDS-PP voted against it, while Liberal Initiative (IL), Livre, and the Portuguese Communist Party (PCP) abstained, leaving only Chega and single deputies from the Left Bloc (BE) and JPP in favor. PAN's single deputy abstained on the fuel VAT measure but supported zero VAT on essential food products. The PS resolution failed for a third time, opposed by the governing coalition parties and met with abstentions from Chega, IL, and PAN. The vote was interrupted when approximately ten spectators in the public galleries stood and turned their backs to the chamber, leading acting session president Marcos Perestrello to issue a formal warning before order was restored.