Parliamentary clash over cost-of-living measures and inquiry into interior minister intensifies

The Assembly of the Republic returned from its recess to launch an urgent debate on the cost-of-living crisis, as the PS accused the government of silence while Chega offered to submit binding bills to lower VAT on fuel and basic food items. Government officials, such as Maria da Graça Carvalho, argued that the proposed measures would repeat the mistakes of 2009 and are not feasible. In parallel, President José Pedro Aguiar-Branco dismissed a request to create a parliamentary inquiry into interior minister Luís Neves, prompting André Ventura to label the decision a partisan “witch hunt.”

Aguiar-Branco justified his refusal by citing historical precedents, recalling similar rejections by former presidents Ferro Rodrigues in 2017 and Almeida Santos in 2000, all based on legal opinions rather than new advisory input. The debate also featured upcoming hearings by ministers of Economy, Education and Defence, and a successful Bloco de Esquerda motion to establish an inquiry into national exams, supported by Chega. The episode highlights the ongoing tension between opposition parties seeking swift economic relief and the government’s cautious fiscal stance.