Prime Minister Luís Montenegro said that Portugal is changing as a result of the reforms implemented over the past two years. Opening the State of the Nation debate in Parliament, he said that the Government is delivering on the commitments it made to the Portuguese people.

Higher incomes, housing and opportunities for young people

Luís Montenegro highlighted the measures introduced to increase household incomes, including personal income tax cuts, the gradual reduction of corporate income tax, and higher wages.

He also pointed to the delivery of 20,000 homes under the Construir Portugal programme, as well as a range of measures to support young people, including exemptions from the Municipal Property Transfer Tax and stamp duty on the purchase of a first home, the public mortgage guarantee scheme, the strengthening of the Porta 65 housing programme and the IRS Jovem tax scheme, the reduction of VAT to 6% on housing construction, and incentives for the rental market.

Education, health and social protection

In education, the Prime Minister highlighted the career progression of more than 84,000 teachers, support for teachers working away from their permanent residence, the revision of the Citizenship curriculum, the ban on mobile phones in schools, the creation of the University of Leiria and Oeste, the Technical University of Porto and the Agency for Research and Innovation.

In health, he pointed to the strengthening of the National Health Service through the recruitment of more than 5,000 additional healthcare professionals, the creation of regional emergency departments, increased capacity at the National Institute of Medical Emergency (INEM) and the expansion of healthcare services.

In the area of social protection, he highlighted the increase in the Solidarity Benefit for the Elderly, full reimbursement of medicines for the most vulnerable pensioners, the extraordinary pension supplement and the Single Social Benefit, reaffirming that "for the Government, pensions are truly sacred, and anything that puts them at risk is non-negotiable."

Security, migration and competitiveness

The Prime Minister said that Portugal now has a "regulated and humane" immigration policy. He reaffirmed the Government's commitment to security through the Anti-Corruption Agenda, community policing and increased investment in defence.

He also highlighted investment in infrastructure, railways, water resources, energy and the new airport as key pillars of the country's modernisation. In addition, he referred to administrative simplification and digital transformation measures, including the Digital Business Wallet and the Amália artificial intelligence model, designed to bring citizens and businesses closer to the Public Administration.

"Portugal is changing"

In the final part of his speech, Luís Montenegro said that Portugal "does not want to, and will not, return to what it was before", arguing that the country now has a stronger economy, more and better jobs, higher wages, sound public finances and greater international credibility.

The Prime Minister said that the Government will continue to govern "without fear, but with the moderation and sense of responsibility that change requires", keeping the national interest and the future of Portugal and the Portuguese people at the centre of its action.