Portugal’s Parliament Overwhelmingly Approves Judicial Power to Revoke Nationality for Serious Criminal Offenses

Portugal's PSD and Chega lead a coalition to pass a law allowing judges to revoke nationality as a criminal penalty. President Seguro to review the decree.

By: AXL Media

Published: Apr 5, 2026, 1:13 PM EDT

Source: Information for this report was sourced from The Portugal News

Legislative Shift in Portuguese Penal Policy

A significant amendment to Portugal's Penal Code has been finalized in a decisive parliamentary vote, introducing the judicial authority to revoke citizenship as a punitive measure. The decree was propelled by a coalition including the PSD, Chega, IL, and CDS-PP, securing 151 votes in favor. This total comfortably exceeded the 116-vote absolute majority required for organic laws in the 216-member assembly. Under the new framework, the loss of nationality will not be automatic upon conviction but will instead function as an additional penalty that a judge may choose to impose during sentencing for specific crimes.

Political Coalition and Ideological Divide

The passage of the bill followed a strategic agreement reached on April 1 between the PSD and the right-wing Chega party, which also covered separate amendments to the broader nationality law. The legislative push faced concentrated resistance from the left, with 65 MPs from the PS, Livre, PCP, BE, JPP, and PAN voting against the measure. Opponents have raised concerns regarding the severity of the penalty, while the supporting bloc argues that the ability to strip nationality for egregious criminal acts is a necessary tool for maintaining national security and the integrity of the state’s legal social contract.

Overcoming Previous Constitutional Obstacles

This latest version of the decree is a revision of an earlier proposal originally approved in October 2025 by a similar coalition of center-right and right-wing parties. That initial draft was blocked by the Constitutional Court, which ruled unanimously that several key provisions violated the principle of equality. Legislators were forced to return the bill to parliament to address these specific constitutional deficiencies. The revised text aims to balance the punitive nature of the law with the fundamental rights guaranteed under the Portuguese Constitution, though critics remain skeptical of its long-term legal viability.