Portugal scrutinizes public finances as accounts are certified and debt criticized

The Portuguese Tribunal de Contas certified the 2025 accounts of the Presidency of the Republic, stating that the financial statements present a "true and appropriate image" while noting areas that still need improvement. The certification, delivered to President António José Seguro by Tribunal president Filipa Urbano Calvão, marks the first time the Presidency’s accounts have undergone this formal audit.

At the same time, Chega party leader André Ventura criticised the latest public‑debt data, calling the government's handling "poor management" and "enormous incompetence". He highlighted that Portugal’s debt reached 92.9% of GDP and warned of uncontrolled public spending and a sharp drop in the net results of state‑owned companies.

The government also announced the "Voltar a Casa" programme, a legal framework aimed at creating transitional residences for up to two years to reduce non‑clinical hospital stays. The initiative seeks to provide temporary housing, home‑care support and other social services for patients awaiting social or long‑term care solutions.