Portugal government rejects claims of marginalizing Socialist Party in intelligence appointments

The Portuguese government has rejected claims of marginalizing the Socialist Party (PS) regarding the appointment of leaders for the intelligence services (Secretas). José Luís Carneiro, the PS Secretary-General, expressed dissatisfaction over being excluded from these decisions, but government sources stated there is “total normality and no specific intentionality” to sideline the opposition.

This shift follows a 2023 declaration by Luís Montenegro, then leader of the opposition, ending the historical practice of consensus between the PSD and PS for these appointments. The dispute occurs amid debates over intelligence services' access to metadata, a matter requiring constitutional revision. The PS has indicated it may condition the viability of the 2027 State Budget on preventing an agreement between the PSD and Chega regarding this constitutional change.