Portugal's Parliament to Vote on Reinstating 302 Local Parishes This Friday

Upcoming Legislative Vote

The Portuguese Parliament is set to discuss and vote on Friday regarding a proposal to disaggregate 135 union parishes and restore 302 local parishes to their pre-2013 administrative boundaries.

Proposal Details

The Bill, supported by multiple parties including PSD, PS, BE, PCP, Livre, and PAN, addresses a significant number of requests for reversion, primarily from mainland Portugal. It also seeks to reinstate parishes that were previously abolished, such as Brenha in Figueira da Foz and Bicos in Odemira.

Preparations for Local Elections

In the coming months, efforts will intensify to prepare for the reinstatement of these parishes in time for the next municipal elections, which are expected to take place in September or October of this year. The proposal outlines the establishment of Installation Committees for new parishes and Extinction Committees for the current unions.

Current Governance

The existing executive bodies in the Parish Councils will continue their roles until the next municipal elections are conducted. If approved, the proposal will require the President of the Republic to promulgate it and publish it at least six months prior to the elections.

Historical Context

Back in 2013, Portugal underwent a significant reduction of 1,168 parishes, decreasing from 4,260 to 3,092 due to the ‘troika’ intervention in 2012, affecting only the mainland and excluding the Autonomous Regions.

Special Mechanism for Reinstatement

The legislative proposal utilizes a special, simplified mechanism for creating parishes, as outlined in the Legal Regime for Creation, Modification, or Extinction of Parishes from 2021, specifically for those merged in 2013 wishing to separate.

List of Affected Parishes

The article provides a detailed list of union parishes and parishes that could potentially be disaggregated, including numerous districts such as Braga, Viana do Castelo, Aveiro, Beja, Coimbra, Évora, Faro, Guarda, Leiria, Lisbon, Portalegre, Porto, Santarém, Setúbal, Vila Real, and Viseu. Each district contains specific unions that may be affected by this proposal.

Here's a glimpse of some districts and their unions:

• Braga: Silveiros and Rio Covo, Barcelos, Vila Boa, and Vila Frescaínha.
• Viana do Castelo: Barroselas and Carvoeiro, Mazarefes and Vila Fria.
• Aveiro: União de Freguesias de Águeda e Borralha, Barrô and Aguada de Baixo.
• Lisbon: Almargem do Bispo, Pêro Pinheiro e Montelavar, and many others.

For a complete list of the affected parishes, refer to the detailed account in the article.