Portugal parental leave policy debate

In late July 2026, Portugal’s centre‑right Social Democratic Party (PSD) introduced a parliamentary amendment to extend fully paid parental leave to 180 days, with the final 60 days required to be shared equally between parents and compensated at 100 % of wages. The proposal also called for a mandatory 28‑day paternity leave and a right to a continuous work‑day arrangement for employees with family responsibilities. It built on a citizen‑initiated measure approved in January that had sought full wage replacement for the first six months, a plan previously rejected by Labour Minister Maria do Rosário Palma Ramalho over concerns about gender inequality and female unemployment.

Two days later, the Commission for Equality between Women and Men (CIMH) of the CGTP‑IN and the advocacy project Direitos & Politiquices issued an open letter urging the government to strengthen protections for breastfeeding families. Citing World Breastfeeding Week, they highlighted ongoing discrimination against mothers returning to work early and the need for support consistent with constitutional guarantees and WHO recommendations. The letter referenced a prior public debate in which an exemption for breastfeeding was limited to two years and suggested reporting mothers who breastfed longer, underscoring the broader contestation over family‑friendly policies.

Together, the legislative amendment and civil‑society pressure illustrate a widening debate in Portugal over the scope, duration, and gender implications of parental leave and related family‑support measures.