Left-wing parties have slammed the government
The Portuguese government is facing widespread criticism after calling for celebrations of the April 25 Revolution to be more reserved following the death of Pope Francis.
The decision, announced on Wednesday following a Council of Ministers meeting, was confirmed by the Minister of the Presidency, António Leitão Amaro, who said the national mourning would entail a “reserved approach to celebrations” of Portugal’s Freedom Day.
“We informed the organising entities that we will not be participating in these commemorative events during this period of sincere and profound mourning,” Leitão Amaro said in a press conference.
Despite the initial messaging, the government later clarified that it had not called for the cancellation of April 25 tributes, and confirmed its participation in the official parliamentary session, emphasizing the autonomy of Parliament.
The decision to limit festivities was sharply criticised by Portugal’s left-wing parties. Pedro Nuno Santos, leader of the Socialist Party and head of the opposition, called the move a “gross misjudgement” of the public’s sentiment.
“It undermines a very important date for the Portuguese people,” the Socialist leader said in Porto, adding that celebrating the Carnation Revolution is not an insult to the late Pope’s memory. “Pope Francis was a support of freedom and equality, values which we celebrate in April,” he said.
Mariana Mortágua, coordinator of the Left Bloc (BE), echoed this criticism, insisting that April 25 is not a date that can be postponed. “We don’t delay the end of the dictatorship or the first day of democracy,” she wrote on social media. She later added that the government’s stance showed “disrespect for the Day of Freedom.”
Rui Tavares, leader of Livre, called the decision a “shocking, deplorable and lamentable. To stop celebrating democracy, under any pretext, is a sign of ingratitude”.
The Portuguese Communist Party (PCP) also weighed in, stating that the best way to honour the Pope would be to uphold the values he defended – peace and justice, which also underpin the legacy of the Carnation Revolution.
Meanwhile, Vasco Lourenço, a former military officer from the Armed Forces Movement (MFA) and now president of the 25 de Abril Association, argued that halting celebrations dishonoured the Pope rather than paid tribute to him.
“Pope Francis was a man of April,” Lourenço said. “Cancelling a celebration of freedom and human rights is an offense to his legacy, not a tribute.”
