Pending nationality applications rise sharply as authorities monitor protest camps and wealthy assets

The Institute of Registries and Notary has disclosed that pending Portuguese nationality applications have risen sharply, up roughly 38% from the prior year, with only a quarter submitted by current residents and about a fifth by descendants of Sephardic Jews. The European Union's recovery plan funds are reported as largely unutilised. At the same time, police and the SIS are intensifying surveillance of radical elements operating in protest camps in Lisbon and Porto, targeting Brazilian organisations such as Unidade Popular pelo Socialismo and Movimento Olga Benário. Separate observations highlight that the nation's wealthiest households have doubled their holdings in real estate, deposits and businesses, while the overall family wealth has risen substantially due to soaring house prices.