Portugal's Socialists Oppose Draft Single Welfare Benefit Bill

The Portuguese Socialist Party (PS) announced it will vote against the government's proposal for a single non-contributory welfare benefit that would replace 13 existing programmes. The party seeks greater transparency, questioning the new requirement for beneficiaries to perform 15 hours of weekly community work and the lack of guarantees on payment amounts. PS leaders warned that failure to approve the measure could jeopardise up to €500 million of EU recovery‑fund disbursements tied to the plan.

Parliament scheduled a rapid debate on the proposal, set to begin on 12 June and last no more than ten days. The government, led by Prime Minister António Costa, argues the measure is essential for meeting recovery‑fund conditions, while the opposition Chega party called for stricter immigration controls before any approval. Meanwhile, six people detained during recent protests at the Assembly were released pending trial.