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Location: Portugal
Portugal
2025
Early election
EET
Parliamentary
elections
To address outstanding ODIHR recommendations as well as eliminate various inconsistencies and obsolete provisions the legal framework should be comprehensively reviewed through an inclusive consultative process well before the next elections, in line with international standards and good practice.
Recommendation # in final report:
1
Type of recommendation:
Priority
Thematic area:
Legal Framework
Type of change required:
Legal
Status of implementation:
Not evaluated
Final report heading:
Legal Framework
Portugal
2025
Early election
EET
Parliamentary
elections
Consideration should be given to amending the legislation to explicitly provide for the presence of citizen and international observers in line with the OSCE commitments. Observers should have full access to all stages of the electoral process.
Recommendation # in final report:
2
Type of recommendation:
Priority
Thematic area:
Legal Framework
Secondary thematic area:
Citizen and International Observation
Type of change required:
Legal
Status of implementation:
Not evaluated
Final report heading:
Legal Framework
Portugal
2025
Early election
EET
Parliamentary
elections
To enforce zero tolerance of all forms of gender-based violence and discrimination in politics, consideration should be given to introducing provisions explicitly prohibiting offensive practices and creating an effective response and complaints mechanism. Effective and uniform implementation of the preventive framework should be ensured.
Recommendation # in final report:
3
Type of recommendation:
Priority
Thematic area:
Legal Framework
Secondary thematic area:
Participation of Women
Type of change required:
Legal
Status of implementation:
Not evaluated
Final report heading:
Electoral Participation of Women
Portugal
2025
Early election
EET
Parliamentary
elections
To enhance the transparency of campaign finance and contribute to voters’ informed choice, consideration should be given to introducing interim reporting prior to election day.
Recommendation # in final report:
4
Type of recommendation:
Priority
Thematic area:
Campaign Finance
Secondary thematic area:
Legal Framework
Type of change required:
Legal
Status of implementation:
Not evaluated
Final report heading:
Campaign Finance
Portugal
2025
Early election
EET
Parliamentary
elections
To facilitate the capacity of the Entity on Political Finance and Accounts to perform its oversight role in an effective and timely manner, and to ensure a clear division between the oversight body and its appellate instance, consideration should be given to reviewing the organisational structure of the oversight mechanism, granting the Entity on Political Finance and Accounts institutional and financial autonomy and providing it with a legal basis to recruit its own permanent staff.
Recommendation # in final report:
5
Type of recommendation:
Priority
Thematic area:
Campaign Finance
Secondary thematic area:
Legal Framework
Type of change required:
Legal
Status of implementation:
Not evaluated
Final report heading:
Campaign Finance
Portugal
2025
Early election
EET
Parliamentary
elections
Decisions of electoral dispute resolution bodies should be made public in a timely manner.
Recommendation # in final report:
6
Type of recommendation:
Priority
Thematic area:
Election Dispute Resolution (EDR)
Type of change required:
Practice
Status of implementation:
Not evaluated
Final report heading:
Electoral Dispute Resolution
Portugal
2025
Early election
EET
Parliamentary
elections
Consideration should be given to providing an expedited timeframe, in line with the international good practice, for consideration of media-related complaints and appeals. The sanctioning mechanism available to the media regulator should be extended to ensure proportionate and dissuasive sanctions for all types of unlawful behaviour.
Recommendation # in final report:
7
Type of recommendation:
Priority
Thematic area:
Media
Secondary thematic area:
Legal Framework
Type of change required:
Legal
Status of implementation:
Not evaluated
Final report heading:
Electoral Dispute Resolution
Portugal
2025
Early election
EET
Parliamentary
elections
To promote gender equality and improve accessibility to gender-related data, consideration should be given to ensuring systematic collection and timely and comprehensive publication of disaggregated data on gender representation within the election administration at all levels.
Recommendation # in final report:
8
Type of recommendation:
Other
Thematic area:
Election Administration
Type of change required:
Practice
Status of implementation:
Not evaluated
Final report heading:
Election Administration
Portugal
2025
Early election
EET
Parliamentary
elections
To ensure transparency and timely access to information, the election administration should consider opening its sessions to the public, publishing the draft agendas in advance of its sessions, and providing timely access to its decisions.
Recommendation # in final report:
9
Type of recommendation:
Other
Thematic area:
Election Administration
Type of change required:
Practice
Status of implementation:
Not evaluated
Final report heading:
Election Administration
Portugal
2025
Early election
EET
Parliamentary
elections
Proactive measures should be taken to ensuring accessibility to and within the polling stations for persons with various types of disabilities. The procedures related to obtaining documents for assisted voting should be substituted with a procedure allowing easy and fast access to the ballot.
Recommendation # in final report:
10
Type of recommendation:
Other
Thematic area:
Participation of Persons with Disabilities
Secondary thematic area:
Election Day
Type of change required:
Practice
Status of implementation:
Not evaluated
Final report heading:
Election Administration
Portugal
2025
Early election
EET
Parliamentary
elections
Contestants should be encouraged to make their campaign events, platforms, programmes, campaign materials and messages accessible to persons with various types of disabilities.
Recommendation # in final report:
11
Type of recommendation:
Other
Thematic area:
Participation of Persons with Disabilities
Secondary thematic area:
Campaign
Status of implementation:
Not evaluated
Final report heading:
Campaign Environment
Portugal
2025
Early election
EET
Parliamentary
elections
To ensure equal opportunities in election campaigns, consideration could be given to providing additional campaign resources for new and small political parties, which may include additional public funding, subsidised airtime, and rules ensuring a balanced access to debates.
Recommendation # in final report:
12
Type of recommendation:
Other
Thematic area:
Campaign
Secondary thematic area:
Campaign Finance
Type of change required:
Legal
Status of implementation:
Not evaluated
Final report heading:
Campaign Environment
Portugal
2025
Early election
EET
Parliamentary
elections
Consideration should be given to providing additional regulations of online campaigning, including those equipping the national enforcement and oversight institutions with adequate mandate and toolkits to implement the EU and national regulation, as well as providing specific counter-disinformation measures balanced with safeguards for freedoms of expression.
Recommendation # in final report:
13
Type of recommendation:
Other
Thematic area:
Campaign
Secondary thematic area:
Legal Framework
Type of change required:
Legal
Status of implementation:
Not evaluated
Final report heading:
Campaign Environment
Portugal
2025
Early election
EET
Parliamentary
elections
To promote transparency, institutions mandated to oversee the online environment, including election campaign, should ensure that information about oversight activities and findings are made publicly available in a timely manner.
Recommendation # in final report:
14
Type of recommendation:
Other
Thematic area:
Campaign
Type of change required:
Practice
Status of implementation:
Not evaluated
Final report heading:
Campaign Environment
Portugal
2025
Early election
EET
Parliamentary
elections
Consideration could be given to introducing limits on candidates’ contributions to their political parties.
Recommendation # in final report:
15
Type of recommendation:
Other
Thematic area:
Campaign Finance
Type of change required:
Legal
Status of implementation:
Not evaluated
Final report heading:
Campaign Finance
Portugal
2025
Early election
EET
Parliamentary
elections
Consideration should be given to shortening the time limits for submission and verification of campaign finance reports to reflect international good practice.
Recommendation # in final report:
16
Type of recommendation:
Other
Thematic area:
Campaign Finance
Type of change required:
Legal
Status of implementation:
Not evaluated
Final report heading:
Campaign Finance
Portugal
2025
Early election
EET
Parliamentary
elections
The registration of candidate lists should be based on a uniform interpretation of the legally prescribed measures for women’s participation.
Recommendation # in final report:
17
Type of recommendation:
Other
Thematic area:
Participation of Women
Secondary thematic area:
Candidate Registration
Type of change required:
Practice
Status of implementation:
Not evaluated
Final report heading:
Electoral Participation of Women
Portugal
2025
Early election
EET
Parliamentary
elections
To ensure political parties take meaningful steps towards achieving gender parity goals, financial and capacity building measures incentivising intra-party parity policies could be foreseen. These could include training and mentorship programmes for women candidates, resources to promote and support women candidates’ campaigns and other capacity building measures.
Recommendation # in final report:
18
Type of recommendation:
Other
Thematic area:
Participation of Women
Secondary thematic area:
Campaign
Type of change required:
Practice
Status of implementation:
Not evaluated
Final report heading:
Electoral Participation of Women
Portugal
2025
Early election
EET
Parliamentary
elections
To enhance women’s participation in decision-making and in the electoral process, consideration should be given to establishing additional legal requirements to place women in leading positions on candidate lists.
Recommendation # in final report:
19
Type of recommendation:
Other
Thematic area:
Participation of Women
Secondary thematic area:
Candidate Registration
Type of change required:
Legal
Status of implementation:
Not evaluated
Final report heading:
Electoral Participation of Women
Portugal
2022
Early election
EET
Parliamentary
elections
Disaggregated data on gender representation in the election administration should be collected and published in a comprehensive manner.
Recommendation # in final report:
1
Type of recommendation:
Priority
Thematic area:
Participation of Women
Secondary thematic area:
Election Administration
Type of change required:
Practice
Status of implementation:
Not implemented
Year of assessment:
2025
Final report heading:
Election Administration
Portugal
2022
Early election
EET
Parliamentary
elections
In line with the principle of transparency, the election administration should consider opening its sessions to the public and publishing the draft agendas in advance of its sessions.
Recommendation # in final report:
2
Type of recommendation:
Priority
Thematic area:
Election Administration
Type of change required:
Practice
Status of implementation:
Not implemented
Year of assessment:
2025
Final report heading:
Election Administration
Portugal
2022
Early election
EET
Parliamentary
elections
To ensure consistent application of the election procedures, standardized training for all lower-level commission members should be provided in advance of election day.
Recommendation # in final report:
3
Type of recommendation:
Priority
Thematic area:
Election Administration
Type of change required:
Practice
Status of implementation:
Partially
Year of assessment:
2025
Final report heading:
Election Administration
Portugal
2022
Early election
EET
Parliamentary
elections
Any measures impacting the exercise of voting rights and the conduct of voting procedures, including with respect to temporary measures such as health-protection related adjustments, should be adopted well in advance of the elections as a result of an open process allowing a meaningful public debate.
Recommendation # in final report:
4
Type of recommendation:
Priority
Thematic area:
Legal Framework
Secondary thematic area:
Election Administration
Type of change required:
Practice
Status of implementation:
Not implemented
Year of assessment:
2025
Final report heading:
Election Administration
Portugal
2022
Early election
EET
Parliamentary
elections
The legal framework should be harmonized with international standards by removing any restrictions on electoral rights based on intellectual or psychosocial disability.
Recommendation # in final report:
5
Type of recommendation:
Priority
Thematic area:
Legal Framework
Type of change required:
Legal
Status of implementation:
Not implemented
Year of assessment:
2025
Final report heading:
Election Administration
Portugal
2022
Early election
EET
Parliamentary
elections
In line with international good practice, prospective electoral coalitions should enjoy the same rights as other contestants to correct technical mistakes in registration documents within a reasonable time.
Recommendation # in final report:
6
Type of recommendation:
Priority
Thematic area:
Candidate Registration
Type of change required:
Legal
Status of implementation:
Not implemented
Year of assessment:
2025
Final report heading:
Election Administration
Portugal
2022
Early election
EET
Parliamentary
elections
The election administration should consider additional measures, in close co-operation with disabled persons organizations, to ensure that voters with disabilities, including voters with visual impairments, can vote independently. The premises and layout of polling stations should be suitable for independent access. Election authorities should provide detailed information about the electoral process in formats accessible to persons with various types of disabilities.
Recommendation # in final report:
7
Type of recommendation:
Priority
Thematic area:
Participation of Persons with Disabilities
Secondary thematic area:
Election Administration
Type of change required:
Practice
Status of implementation:
Partially
Year of assessment:
2025
Final report heading:
Election Administration
Portugal
2022
Early election
EET
Parliamentary
elections
To facilitate meaningful participation, contestants should be encouraged to take steps to make their platforms, programmes, campaign materials and messages in formats accessible to persons with various types of disabilities.
Recommendation # in final report:
8
Type of recommendation:
Priority
Thematic area:
Participation of Persons with Disabilities
Secondary thematic area:
Campaign
Type of change required:
Practice
Status of implementation:
Not implemented
Year of assessment:
2025
Final report heading:
Campaign
Portugal
2022
Early election
EET
Parliamentary
elections
To enhance the transparency of campaign finance and contribute to voters’ informed choice, consideration should be given to introducing interim reporting prior to election day.
Recommendation # in final report:
9
Type of recommendation:
Priority
Thematic area:
Campaign Finance
Type of change required:
Legal
Status of implementation:
Not implemented
Year of assessment:
2025
Final report heading:
Campaign finance
Portugal
2022
Early election
EET
Parliamentary
elections
To facilitate voters’ informed choice, authorities should proactively publish institutional information of public interest in an easy, prompt, effective and practical manner, facilitating a wide-range of inquiries.
Recommendation # in final report:
10
Type of recommendation:
Priority
Thematic area:
Campaign Finance
Type of change required:
Practice
Status of implementation:
Partially
Year of assessment:
2025
Final report heading:
Campaign finance
Portugal
2022
Early election
EET
Parliamentary
elections
In order to allow the Entity on Political Finance and Accounts to perform its oversight role in an effective and timely manner, and to ensure a clear division between the oversight body and its appellate instance, consideration should be given to granting it institutional and financial autonomy and providing it with a legal basis to recruit its own permanent staff.
Recommendation # in final report:
11
Type of recommendation:
Priority
Thematic area:
Campaign Finance
Type of change required:
Legal
Status of implementation:
Not implemented
Year of assessment:
2025
Final report heading:
Campaign finance
Portugal
2022
Early election
EET
Parliamentary
elections
The registration of candidate lists should be based on a uniform interpretation of the legally prescribed measures for women’s participation. All relevant state institutions and political parties should strengthen efforts to entrench the understanding of existing legal measures.
Recommendation # in final report:
12
Type of recommendation:
Priority
Thematic area:
Participation of Women
Secondary thematic area:
Candidate Registration
Type of change required:
Practice
Status of implementation:
Not implemented
Year of assessment:
2025
Final report heading:
Electoral Participation of Women
Portugal
2021
EET
Presidential
The authorities should consider consolidating the election legislation to avoid inconsistencies and to increase its accessibility and transparency.
Recommendation # in final report:
1
Type of recommendation:
Priority
Thematic area:
Legal Framework
Type of change required:
Legal
Status of implementation:
Not implemented
Year of assessment:
2025
Final report heading:
Electoral System and Legal Framework
Portugal
2021
EET
Presidential
In order to maintain the impartiality and professionalism of polling station commissions (PSCs), the authorities should review the process of their appointment. Specific measures could be considered, such as mechanisms for mayors to maintain a roster of qualified persons, trainings for prospective PSC members, and eliminating the obligation of citizens to serve on PSCs without prior consent.
Recommendation # in final report:
2
Type of recommendation:
Priority
Thematic area:
Election Administration
Type of change required:
Sub-legal
Status of implementation:
Partially
Year of assessment:
2025
Final report heading:
Election Administration
Portugal
2021
EET
Presidential
Any measures impacting the exercise of voting rights and the conduct of voting procedures, including with respect to temporary measures such as health-related adjustments, should be adopted well in advance of elections.
Recommendation # in final report:
3
Type of recommendation:
Priority
Thematic area:
Election Administration
Secondary thematic area:
Legal Framework
Type of change required:
Practice
Status of implementation:
Not evaluated
Year of assessment:
2025
Final report heading:
Election Administration
Portugal
2021
EET
Presidential
The authorities should amend the election legislation to guarantee access for citizen and international observers to follow all stages of the election process. The National Election Commission could consider raising election stakeholders’ awareness of the benefits of permitting non-partisan observation of elections as an additional safeguard for the overall integrity of the process.
Recommendation # in final report:
4
Type of recommendation:
Priority
Thematic area:
Citizen and International Observation
Secondary thematic area:
Election Administration
Type of change required:
Legal
Status of implementation:
Not implemented
Year of assessment:
2025
Final report heading:
Election Administration
Portugal
2021
EET
Presidential
Consideration should be given to shortening the time limits for submission and verification of campaign finance reports to reflect international good practice.
Recommendation # in final report:
5
Type of recommendation:
Priority
Thematic area:
Campaign Finance
Type of change required:
Legal
Status of implementation:
Not implemented
Year of assessment:
2025
Final report heading:
Campaign Finance
Portugal
2021
EET
Presidential
In order to allow the Entity on Political Finance and Accounts to perform its oversight role in an effective and timely manner, and to ensure a clear division between the oversight body and its appellate instance, consideration should be given to granting it institutional and financial autonomy.
Recommendation # in final report:
6
Type of recommendation:
Priority
Thematic area:
Campaign Finance
Type of change required:
Sub-legal
Status of implementation:
Not implemented
Year of assessment:
2025
Final report heading:
Campaign Finance
Portugal
2021
EET
Presidential
Criminal prosecution for defamation, libel, insult, and slander should be repealed in favour of civil sanctions with a reasonable financial penalty.
Recommendation # in final report:
7
Type of recommendation:
Priority
Thematic area:
Media
Type of change required:
Legal
Status of implementation:
Not implemented
Year of assessment:
2025
Final report heading:
Media
Portugal
2021
EET
Presidential
Authorities should revise the legal framework on media coverage of elections to guarantee editorial freedom while respecting the right of all candidates to present their platforms.
Recommendation # in final report:
8
Type of recommendation:
Priority
Thematic area:
Media
Secondary thematic area:
Legal Framework
Type of change required:
Legal
Status of implementation:
Partially
Year of assessment:
2025
Final report heading:
Media
Portugal
2021
EET
Presidential
While the freedom of speech must be guaranteed, the authorities should promptly and diligently investigate all allegations of hate speech during the election period that may lead to intolerance and infringement of basic citizen and electoral rights.
Recommendation # in final report:
9
Type of recommendation:
Priority
Thematic area:
Media
Secondary thematic area:
Campaign
Type of change required:
Practice
Status of implementation:
Partially
Year of assessment:
2025
Final report heading:
Media
Portugal
2021
EET
Presidential
The NEC should consider meeting in sessions that are open to the public. The NEC could also consider publishing the draft agendas of their sessions.
Recommendation # in final report:
10
Type of recommendation:
Other
Thematic area:
Election Administration
Type of change required:
Sub-legal
Status of implementation:
Not implemented
Year of assessment:
2025
Final report heading:
Election Administration
Portugal
2021
EET
Presidential
The legal framework should be harmonized with the international standards by removing any restrictions on electoral rights based on intellectual or psychosocial disability.
Recommendation # in final report:
11
Type of recommendation:
Other
Thematic area:
Participation of Persons with Disabilities
Secondary thematic area:
Legal Framework
Type of change required:
Legal
Status of implementation:
Not implemented
Year of assessment:
2025
Final report heading:
Election Administration
Portugal
2021
EET
Presidential
To fully adhere to international standards, restrictions on candidacy based on descent or birth should be removed.
Recommendation # in final report:
12
Type of recommendation:
Other
Thematic area:
Candidate Registration
Secondary thematic area:
Legal Framework
Type of change required:
Legal
Status of implementation:
Not evaluated
Year of assessment:
2025
Final report heading:
Election Administration
Portugal
2021
EET
Presidential
The law should prevent possibilities of unregistered candidates being included on the ballot, to reduce the potential for inadvertent invalidation of ballots by voters and voter confusion at the polls. This could be achieved by adjusting electoral or administrative timelines or allowing ballots to be printed on demand in certain cases, such as for early voting abroad.
Recommendation # in final report:
13
Type of recommendation:
Other
Thematic area:
Election Administration
Secondary thematic area:
Candidate Registration
Type of change required:
Sub-legal
Status of implementation:
Not implemented
Year of assessment:
2025
Final report heading:
Election Administration
Portugal
2021
EET
Presidential
The election authorities should continue to improve voting conditions for persons requiring accessibility options, for example by introducing specialized equipment and installing high quality ramps for autonomous physical access.
Recommendation # in final report:
14
Type of recommendation:
Other
Thematic area:
Participation of Persons with Disabilities
Secondary thematic area:
Election Administration
Type of change required:
Sub-legal
Status of implementation:
Not evaluated
Year of assessment:
2025
Final report heading:
Election Administration
Portugal
2021
EET
Presidential
In line with the objectives of the CRPD, the election authorities should provide detailed information about the election process, including the rights of voters and candidates, in formats accessible to persons with various categories of disability.
Recommendation # in final report:
15
Type of recommendation:
Other
Thematic area:
Participation of Persons with Disabilities
Secondary thematic area:
Election Administration
Type of change required:
Practice
Status of implementation:
Partially
Year of assessment:
2025
Final report heading:
Election Administration
Portugal
2021
EET
Presidential
The legislature should consider harmonizing the timelines for obtaining the special tax identification number and for opening the campaign bank account.
Recommendation # in final report:
16
Type of recommendation:
Other
Thematic area:
Campaign Finance
Type of change required:
Legal
Status of implementation:
Not implemented
Year of assessment:
2025
Final report heading:
Campaign Finance
Portugal
2021
EET
Presidential
To increase the transparency and public oversight of political and campaign finance, the Entity on Political Finance and Accounts should consider establishing an online system of reporting that allows for data analysis.
Recommendation # in final report:
17
Type of recommendation:
Other
Thematic area:
Campaign Finance
Type of change required:
Practice
Status of implementation:
Partially
Year of assessment:
2025
Final report heading:
Campaign Finance
Portugal
2021
EET
Presidential
Consideration should be given to designate a single authority to decide on media-related complaints. The law should define a reasonable timeframe for consideration of complaints and appeals and a set of sanctions in case of major distortions in media coverage.
Recommendation # in final report:
18
Type of recommendation:
Other
Thematic area:
Media
Secondary thematic area:
Election Dispute Resolution (EDR)
Type of change required:
Legal
Status of implementation:
Not implemented
Year of assessment:
2025
Final report heading:
Media