Portugal's New Nationality Law: A 'Balanced Solution' to Restore Order, Says PM Montenegro

Prime Minister Luís Montenegro has declared that the newly approved changes to Portugal's nationality law represent a "balanced solution" aimed at restoring order after what he described as chaos.

In a national address following the parliamentary approval, Montenegro emphasized, "In the face of chaos, we are restoring order." He announced that a "return law" will soon be introduced to facilitate a "dignified, effective repatriation with better cooperation from countries of origin for those who do not respect the rules in Portugal."

Dignifying Portuguese Nationality

Montenegro argued that nationality should not be trivialized, stating, "Nationality is the recognition of a deep bond and must not be banalized. Dignifying it means dignifying every Portuguese person." He believes this law reinstates necessary demands and upholds Portugal's sovereignty, cohesion, and identity.

The amendments to the Nationality Law, originating from a government proposal, were passed in a final global vote on Tuesday by the PSD/CDS, Chega, and IL parties, surpassing the required absolute majority with 116 out of 230 deputies.

Strengthening Requirements for Citizenship

"We do not want Portuguese citizens of convenience," Montenegro asserted, highlighting that the government has reinforced requirements for knowledge of the Portuguese language, culture, history, national symbols, and the rights and duties tied to nationality.

Montenegro concluded, "With this budget and these changes to the nationality law, we are taking secure steps to build a more prosperous and fairer country." He added that these approvals show the government's ability to unite and lead compromises in the national interest.

Voting Results and Political Reactions

The amendments received 157 votes in favor and 64 against, a majority exceeding two-thirds. As anticipated, the PS, Livre, Bloco de Esquerda, PAN, and PCP voted against the changes.

Montenegro expressed regret that the PS "wanted to stay out," noting that some of their proposals were incorporated into the new law. He suggested the PS might struggle to acknowledge that the previous open-door immigration policy and trivialization of nationality were not positive and are now undergoing structural changes.

Controversial Aspects and Constitutional Concerns

The Prime Minister defended that all conditions are in place for the law to be enacted, downplaying the decisive vote from Chega. PSD and CDS accepted a reformulation from Chega, which includes loss of nationality for those who obtain it through manifestly fraudulent means.

Initially, the sanction of losing nationality for serious crimes was part of the government's proposal, but it was later separated to avoid risks of unconstitutionality affecting the entire legislative initiative. Left-wing parliamentary benches voted against this, and the PS has indicated that such sanctions could violate constitutional principles.