Evora, Portugal, March 10, 2026 (Lusa) – The leader of the Portuguese Socialist Party (the PS), José Luís Carneiro, has said that the Government has shown a "lack of democratic humility", which "is becoming costly for the country", in the negotiations on the proposed new labour legislation, due to the lack of agreement.
"Apparently, the Government does not get along with the partners (the employers and trade unions) that are essential to making a reform viable, in this case labour legislation," said José Luís Carneiro, in Évora on Monday evening.
The PS leader quipped that he thought the government led by Luís Montenegro did not get along "only" with the socialists and that was why it did not respond to their proposals.
"But, in the end, they also do not get along with other partners who are essential for the dignity of working life and also for the competitiveness of our economy," continued José Luís Carneiro, who was speaking to journalists at the entrance to a session with PS party activists and supporters in Évora to present his re-candidacy for leadership of the party.
Asked about the meeting held on Monday between the government and social partners (the trade unions and employers) on the proposed labour legislation, which ended without agreement, with a source from the government telling the Lusa news agency that the UGT union confederation had been "intransigent", the PS leader distanced himself from such a the discussion.
"Only the UGT can respond to that statement by the Government. I was not involved in the negotiations, but I do know that the Government, unfortunately, lacks democratic humility, and that lack of democratic humility is proving costly for the country," he said.
José Luís Carneiro emphasised that he felt "some astonishment" at having seen, "in recent days, many expectations that an agreement would be reached" and criticised the timing of Monday's meeting.
"It's never too late, nor is it ever too early, but on the day the country's president took office [to hold a technical meeting for statutory tripartite talks between the government, employers and unions], it seemed an inappropriate day to do so," he said.
The UGT considered that "the proposals that the Government has put on the table are not proposals that solve and respond to people's needs," said José Luís Carneiro, referring to what he had read about the trade union's position in the media.
However, the PS leader also reiterated several criticisms of the Government's proposed labour legislation, which "is particularly harmful to young people, who are thrown into precariousness for longer, it is particularly harmful to working women, because it makes it difficult to reconcile personal life with professional and family life" and is equally "harmful to the most fragile and vulnerable workers".
"I hope that the Government will now create the conditions to resume dialogue on terms that the partners are willing to accept," he argued.
When asked by journalists whether the Government should have gone further in supporting the Portuguese people due to the rise in fuel prices caused by the war in the Middle East, the PS leader recalled that he had already told the government and the prime minister, in the parliamentary debate, that they "should prepare for a very demanding situation in terms of the effects" of the conflict.
"And we addressed three specific issues. On the one hand, fuel costs, on the other hand, food costs and, thirdly, the predictability of increased mortgage costs, which particularly affect younger people," he said, stating that he was "convinced that, in the coming days and weeks, the government will indeed have to choose the path that the PS proposed in parliament".
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