Portugal Committee Rules Mosque-Funding Ban Unconstitutional
The Constitutional Affairs Committee issued the ruling Thursday while reviewing Chega’s proposed amendment to the 2026 State Budget. The proposal sought to prevent state funds from being used to build mosques.
The committee met on the morning of the budget discussions. It adopted an opinion drafted by Francisco José Martins of the Social Democratic Party (PSD), according to The Portugal News.
The document concluded that the amendment was inconsistent with Portugal’s Constitution.
Members of the Socialist Party (PS), the PSD, the Portuguese Communist Party (PCP), Livre and the People's Party (JPP) supported the opinion. Chega voted against it, and the CDS-PP abstained.
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The opinion stated that the proposal amounted to “explicit discrimination based on religious affiliation” and created “an arbitrary and unreasonable inequality of treatment.”
It added that such measures violated the constitutional guarantees of equality and religious freedom.
Portugal officially recognises Islam as one of the country’s registered religions. Muslims in Portugal are estimated at around 60,000–65,000 people, representing roughly 0.6% of the population.
Most are based in Lisbon, with smaller communities in Porto, Faro and Madeira.
Source: Agencies
