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Gear up for a battle against red tape! That's the word from Portugal's newly-reappointed Prime Minister, Luis Montenegro. He's embracing a no-holds-barred fight against bureaucracy to foster a business-friendly environment, as laid out in his four-year "Agenda for Transformation."

On the legislative floor, deputies have been debating the details of this ambitious plan. With the Portuguese Constitution on their side, they can't let it fail in parliament if they hope to effectively tackle the issues at hand.

The 250-page document puts forward a strong vision for prosperity. It aims to boost the economy, implement fair income policies, and tackle the housing crisis by bringing together public, private, and non-profit entities to provide essential services.

The Prime Minister also announced a focus on public security, judicial acceleration, and a "regulated and humane" immigration policy. However, it's a significant tightening of immigration and residence laws, with citizenship becoming harder to acquire, work visas prioritized for highly-qualified professionals, and undocumented individuals facing expulsion.

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Montenegro plans to ease the tax burden on businesses and citizens, while also offering a program to encourage Portuguese expatriates to return home. He also wants to ban smartphones in schools for students up through the 6th grade, and combat violent digital content.

Defense spending is set to increase to match new NATO goals. Portugal will also push for "modernization" of the military alliance and the creation of a "European pillar." Additionally, they aim to promote free trade and actively support EU expansion, particularly in Ukraine, Moldova, and the Western Balkans.

Communist deputies have criticized the government's plan as a "declaration of war on workers" favoring big business. They've taken aim at the liberalization of labor and strike rights and see the increase in defense spending as evidence of submission to the war policies of the EU, NATO, and the USA. However, opposition parties have already stated that they will not support the application to reject the government's program.

Montenegro's government, with its focus on dialogue and compromise with opposition parties, came out on top in the third early election in just three years. The center-right Democratic Alliance (AD) emerged as the strongest force, with the rest of the opposition failing to gain significant traction.

The new cabinet was sworn in a few weeks after the election. While there were some personnel changes, the core of the cabinet remains the same. A new Ministry of State Reform, under Gonçalo Matias, was created, while the previously standalone culture portfolio is now merged with youth and sports.

The center-right coalition now holds 91 of the 230 seats in the Assembleia da República, 11 more than before. A formal alliance with far-right parties remains a taboo for Montenegro. The government's first major challenge will be passing the budget in the fall. The Socialists, who suffered a setback in the election, are expected to shift more towards the center, potentially softening their stance on certain measures. A showdown between the Socialists under potential new leadership and Montenegro will be a crucial test in September and October during the national municipal elections.

The newly-reappointed Prime Minister, Luis Montenegro, is engaged in a 'policy-and-legislation' battle aimed at altering the business environment in Portugal, as part of his four-year "Agenda for Transformation."
The Portuguese government, under the leadership of Prime Minister Montenegro, is focusing on 'politics' aimed at modernizing the military alliance and establishing a "European pillar," while promoting free trade and supporting EU expansion.