Changes to be included in centre-right government’s four-year programme
With a petition supporting the limiting of family reunification for legalised immigrants still steadily gathering signatures, Portugal’s government does appear to be listening. Minister for the presidency António Leitão Amaro told journalists yesterday that ‘revision of the nationality law will be included in the government’s programme’ which is being finalised and will be sent to parliament tomorrow (Saturday).
Pressure to head-off what some fear could be a major new influx of immigrants into the country has been powered particularly by right-wing party CHEGA, which is now the country’s second most relevant political force, and which will almost certainly support the government’s decision-making in this regard.
According to Leitão Amaro, yesterday’s Council of Ministers agreed on the “need to revise the nationality law” (which at present allows for legalised immigrants to request to bring into this country their spouses, children, adopted children, siblings, parents and even parents-in-law)
The minister did not give much away in terms of details of the proposed revision, other than it will involve “extending the time limits and the moment at which they are counted”.
He told reporters that the changes come due to “a situation of great difficulty on the part of the community, the state and public services in responding” to requests from immigrants going through the legalisation process.
“The current situation is a practical suspension,” he admitted, stressing that “the rules have to be adjusted to support the practical suspension decision that has taken place.”
The government nonetheless promises “the conclusion of the process of resolving pending issues” (with many thousands of immigrants, some of whom have been living and working in this country for some years) and measures to enable their “humanist integration”.
According to SIC Notícias, changes to the immigration law will also involve the reinforcement of entry controls and revision of the “ports of entry” regime.
In short, said Leitão Amaro, the government proposes to continue with “the very significant, drastic and firm change in immigration policy that took place a year ago” when AD (the democratic alliance of PSD and CDS-PP) first took office before being forced into snap elections in May. ND
