Will President Marcelo Rebelo de Sousa Halt the Separation of Parishes in Portugal?

President's Stance on Parish Restructuring

The separation of parishes in Portugal is at risk of being halted by President Marcelo Rebelo de Sousa. He has previously stated that no changes should be made to the parish map within one year prior to municipal elections, despite the law allowing alterations up to six months before elections. This position has been reiterated in light of upcoming elections scheduled for September or October.

Current Legal Framework

According to the law, the creation of new parishes is prohibited during the six months leading up to national elections. Although there is still time before the next municipal elections, the President insists that changes to the parish map should not occur in the immediate run-up to voting.

Proposed Changes

If the President approves, 124 parish unions will be separated, resulting in the creation of 274 new councils. However, 66 requests for separation were excluded for not meeting the required criteria. Each approved separation will lead to a bill that is set for a plenary vote on January 17.

Concerns Raised by Political Parties

Last week, the PSD party, which participated in the working group overseeing this process, expressed legal concerns regarding the timing of the parish separations in an election year. Hugo Soares, leader of the social-democrat bench, voiced worries about potentially complicity in a process that might lead to future issues.