The government defended the proposed state budget in Parliament, highlighting an increase in overall funding and a target of 100% execution rates. The Minister of Culture did not provide specific budget allocations for individual cultural organizations during the hearing.
This update is from Bica
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Read today’s briefingWhile the government maintains that no new tax rates were increased in the 2027 State Budget, the document includes a projected 5.2% increase in revenue from the Petroleum Products Tax (ISP). This rise is driven partly by the expected reactivation of the carbon tax adjustment on fuels, a pre-existing mechanism that could increase pump prices by approximately two cents per litre.
Electricity consumption in Portugal grew by 3% in the first ten months of 2026, with 62% of that total supplied by renewable sources. In the same period, natural gas consumption fell by 1.8%, with imports of natural gas coming primarily from Nigeria, the US, and Russia.
The government has approved a 1.5 billion euro funding boost for the National Health Service (SNS). The Minister of Health clarified that these funds are intended to pay down debts to suppliers and to fund investments, equipment acquisitions, and services within Local Health Units (ULS), with a goal to keep payment deadlines below 60 days by the end of the term.