Costa proposes debate in late 2024 on regionalisation
António Costa proposed that a debate for the realisation of regionalisation, through a referendum, should begin at the end of 2024.
The socialist party general secretary, António Costa, proposed in his motion to the party congress that a debate for the realisation of regionalisation “under constitutional terms”, through a referendum, should begin at the end of 2024.
This policy guideline is contained in the motion António Costa presented to the National Congress of the Socialist Party, to be held on 10 and 11 July, entitled “Recovering Portugal, guaranteeing the future”, which was coordinated by Socialist leader Mariana Vieira da Silva.
Concerning the next municipal term of office, between this year and 2025, the leader of the Socialists and current prime minister said that it would be “the consolidation of the decentralisation process for municipalities and metropolitan areas, at the same time as the process of extending the competencies of the CCDRs (Coordination and Regional Development Commissions), now legitimised as representatives of the regions’ mayors”.
“We will be in a position by the end of 2024 to assess the results of these processes and promote a wide-ranging debate on regionalisation under constitutional terms,” he said.
On 8 November 1998, Portuguese voters rejected the establishment of administrative regions, as provided for in the Constitution, with more than 60.87% of “no” votes in a referendum with no binding effect, since abstention was 51.88%.
