The 16th Legislature of the Third Portuguese Republic () was a meeting of the Assembly of the Republic, the legislative body of Portugal. It convened on 26 March 2024, with its membership determined by the results of the 2024 Portuguese legislative election held the previous 10 March.
On 11 March 2025, Luís Montenegro's government lost a vote of confidence and fell. On 13 March 2025, the President of the Republic, Marcelo Rebelo de Sousa, announced the dissolution of the 16th Legislature and called for a snap election for 18 May 2025. The Assembly of the Republic was officially dissolved on 20 March 2025. The Legislature ended on 2 June 2025; it was the shortest of the Third Portuguese Republic.
Election The 17th Portuguese legislative election was held on 10 March 2024. The Democratic Alliance (AD) won, narrowly, the most votes and seats.
Party Assembly of the Republic Votes % Seats +/−AD 1,867,442 28.84 80 +3PS 1,812,443 27.98 78 –42 Chega 1,169,781 18.06 50 +38 IL 319,877 4.94 8 ±0 BE 282,314 4.36 5 ±0 CDU 205,551 3.17 4 –2 Livre 204,875 3.16 4 +3 PAN 126,125 1.95 1 ±0 Other/blank/invalid 488,544 7.54 0 ±0 Total 6,476,952 100.00 230 ±0
Composition (2024–present) List of members
Current composition Party Parliamentary leaderElectedDissolution Seats % Seats % Hugo Soares (Braga)7833.97833.9 Alexandra Leitão (Santarém)7833.97833.9 ChegaPedro Pinto (Faro)5021.74921.3 ILMariana Leitão (Lisbon)83.583.5 Fabian Figueiredo (Lisbon)52.252.2 Paula Santos (Setúbal)41.741.7 Isabel Mendes Lopes (Lisbon)41.741.7 Paulo Núncio (Lisbon)20.920.9 Inês Sousa Real (Lisbon)10.410.4 IndependentMiguel Arruda (Azores)00.010.4 Total230100.0230100.0
Changes Miguel Arruda, Chega (CH) → non-attached: Left the party following an accusation, and a police investigation, that he allegedly stole several suitcases at Lisbon and Ponta Delgada airports.
Election for President of the Assembly of the Republic
The election to pick a new President of the Assembly of the Republic was complicated. The Social Democratic Party (PSD) proposed José Pedro Aguiar-Branco as their candidate for President. To be elected, a candidate needs to reach a minimum of 116 votes. The first ballot occurred on 26 March 2024 and before the vote, there was the announcement that the Social Democratic Party reached an understanding with Chega regarding names. Chega leader André Ventura announced the "deal" to the media, but several Democratic Alliance members downplayed the announcement and said no deal was made, just an understanding. Despite this, the overwhelming point of view was that Aguiar-Branco would easily be elected, but on the first ballot, Chega members voted in blank and Aguiar-Branco failed to be elected:
Election of the President of the Assembly of the Republic 1st Ballot → 26 March 2024 Required majority → 116 out of 230 José Pedro Aguiar-Branco (PPD/PSD) Blank ballots Invalid ballots Absentees Sources:
Following the first ballot, the PSD accused the Socialist Party (PS) and Chega of a "negative coalition" and announced the withdraw of Aguiar-Branco. The PS then announced they would present Francisco Assis as candidate, while Chega would present Manuela Tender. Shortly after, Aguiar-Branco retracted his earlier withdraw and was back on the ballot. On the two following ballots, the gridlock remained:
Election of the President of the Assembly of the Republic 2nd Ballot → 26 March 2024 Required majority → 116 out of 230 Francisco Assis (PS) José Pedro Aguiar-Branco (PPD/PSD) Manuela Tender (Chega) Blank ballots Invalid ballots Absentees Sources: Election of the President of the Assembly of the Republic 3rd Ballot → 26 March 2024 Required majority → 116 out of 230 Francisco Assis (PS) José Pedro Aguiar-Branco (PPD/PSD) Blank ballots Invalid ballots Absentees Sources:
A fourth ballot was then scheduled for the following day, 27 March, to be held at noon, but late negotiations between PS and PSD delayed the vote for several hours. Following these negotiations, it was announced that both parties reached a deal in which the Presidency of the Assembly would rotate between the two parties, with the PSD holding the first two years, until 2026, and the PS the rest of the legislature until 2028 (which did not materialize, as the legislature was dissolved in March 2025). The PSD presented again Aguiar-Branco, while Chega presented Rui Paulo Sousa. Aguiar-Branco was easily elected:
Election of the President of the Assembly of the Republic 4th Ballot → 27 March 2024 Required majority → 116 out of 230 José Pedro Aguiar-Branco (PPD/PSD) Rui Paulo Sousa (Chega) Blank ballots Invalid ballots Absentees Sources:
Other elections for the bureau of the Assembly of the Republic
Vice Presidents of the Assembly of the Republic The election of four new Vice Presidents of the Assembly of the Republic were held in the second session of the new Legislature. All designated candidates were elected to their positions. Election of the Vice Presidents of the Assembly of the Republic1st Ballot →27 March 2024Required majority →116 out of 230Teresa Morais (PPD/PSD)Marcos Perestrello (PS)Diogo Pacheco de Amorim (CH)Rodrigo Saraiva (IL)AbsenteesSources: Executive Digest Secretaries of the Assembly of the Republic Election of the Secretaries of the Assembly of the Republic1st Ballot →27 March 2024Required majority →116 out of 230Jorge Paulo Oliveira (PPD/PSD)Joana Ferreira Lima (PS)Gabriel Mithá Ribeiro (CH)Germana Rocha (PPD/PSD)AbsenteesSources: Assembleia da República
Deputy Secretaries of the Assembly of the Republic Election of the Deputy Secretaries of the Assembly of the Republic1st Ballot →27 March 2024Required majority →116 out of 230Sandra Pereira (PPD/PSD)Susana Correia (PS)Filipe Melo (CH)Palmira Maciel (PS)AbsenteesSources: Assembleia da República
Parliamentary committees
Permanent committees CommitteeChairVice-chairsConstitutional Affairs, Rights, Freedoms and GuaranteesPaula CardosoPSDManuel MagnoCHCláudia Cruz SantosPSForeign Affairs and Portuguese CommunitiesSérgio Sousa PintoPSCarlos Eduardo ReisPSDRodrigo SaraivaILNational DefencePedro PessanhaCHLiliana ReisPSDJosé Maria CostaPSEuropean AffairsTelmo FariaPSDMarta TemidoPSRui TavaresLBudget and FinanceFilipe Neto BrandãoPSPedro CoelhoPSDPaulo NúncioCDS–PPEconomy, Public Works, Planning and HousingMiguel SantosPSDPedro CoimbraPSCarlos Guimarães PintoILAgriculture and FishingEmília CerqueiraPSDJoão Paulo GraçaCHClarisse CamposPSEducation and ScienceManuela TenderCHGermana RochaPSDEduardo PinheiroPSHealthAna AbrunhosaPSMarta Martins da SilvaCHAna Isabel MoreiraPSDLabour, Social Security and InclusionEurico Brilhante DiasPSPedro RoquePSDJosé SoeiroBEEnvironment and EnergySalvador MalheiroPSDRita MatiasCHPedro VazPSCulture, Communication, Youth and SportsEdite EstrelaPSJorge Valsassina GalveiasCHAntónio FilipePCPLocal government and State ReformBruno NunesCHCarlos Silva SantiagoPSDJoão AzevedoPSTransparency and Deputy's statutesOfélia RamosPSDRui Paulo SousaCHIsabel OnetoPS
Parliamentary inquiry committees CommitteeEstablishmentDisestablishmentChairVice-chairsVerifying the legality and conduct of the political representatives allegedly envolved in the healthcare provision to two twin sisters treated with the medicine Zolgensma 22 May 20242 June 2025Rui Paulo SousaCHAna SantosPSDJorge BotelhoPSOn Santa Casa da Misericórdia de Lisboa18 September 20242 June 2025Tiago Barbosa RibeiroPSFelicidade VitalCHMaurício MarquesPSDOn the political guardianship of the management of the EFACEC group15 January 20252 June 2025Nuno Simões de MeloCHAlexandre PoçoPSDHugo CostaPS
Other parliamentary committees CommitteeEstablishmentDisestablishmentChairVice-chairsOf Verification of the Powers of the Elected Deputies26 March 202411 April 2024Jorge Paulo OliveiraPSDEurídice PereiraPSBruno NunesCHOf Accompanying the execution of the PRR and PT203019 September 20242 June 2025Dulcineia MouraPSDAna Mendes GodinhoPSCarlos Guimarães PintoILFor the integrate accompanying of the execution and monitoring of the Anticorruption Agenda18 October 20242 June 2025Cláudia Cruz SantosPSCristina RodriguesCHVacantTo evaluate the system of Civil Protection and the Prevention and Fight to the 2024 Wildfires16 January 20252 June 2025Maurício MarquesPSDEurídice PereiraPSIsabel PiresBE
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