Portugal's Lusa agency faces parliamentary hearing and EU complaint over statutes

The Portuguese parliament’s Culture, Communication, Youth and Sport Committee approved a live hearing of Lusa’s Board of Directors, Information Directorate and journalists’ unions to examine the agency’s new statutes on independence, autonomy and transparency. The hearing is part of a series of legislative proposals from several parties and a resolution from Chega.

Separately, the Portuguese Journalists’ Union lodged a formal complaint with the European Commission in Brussels, arguing that the statutes adopted by the Portuguese government breach EU media‑freedom regulations. The union claims the statutes allow direct government appointment of Lusa’s board, create a politically dominated oversight body and require the agency to report to parliament, jeopardising editorial independence. Lusa, fully owned by the Portuguese state since November 2025, is the sole news agency in Portugal and the largest Portuguese‑language news provider.

Both actions reflect growing concerns over potential political interference in Portugal’s public news service and raise questions about compliance with EU rules guaranteeing media independence.