Viseu, Portugal, March 29, 2026 (Lusa) – José Luís Carneiro, the Socialist Party (PS) Secretary-General, has proposed an administrative simplification programme to reduce business costs and a national strategy to guarantee universal access to decent housing within a decade.
During the closing speech of the 25th PS Congress in Viseu, José Luís Carneiro outlined his vision for the country, saying that the government performed poorly and that Portugal’s people knew it.
Carneiro called for a model that pairs economic growth with social justice, insisting on accelerating the rise of the minimum wage and ensuring sustained wage growth, highlighting the incentives for companies that invest in skills development and arguing that these incentives should be equivalent to the additional tax revenue the state collects.
Given the objective of empowering the business sector to create more and better jobs, José Luís Carneiro identified additional measures as necessary and proposed a programme to rationalise fees and simplify administrative procedures, thereby reducing businesses’ operating costs.
He also suggested a programme to support the upskilling, revitalisation and modernisation of small retail businesses, focusing specifically on inland municipalities, advocating for tax reductions designed to incentivise investment in SMEs (Small and Medium-sized Enterprises), representing over 96% of Portuguese companies, particularly in innovation, technological integration and wage growth.
Additionally, he proposed a "Strategic Pacts for Business Competitiveness" to promote business capitalisation, the integration of scientific knowledge into production, and international expansion.
Carneiro also established a clear objective for Portugal to converge with the European average wage by 2035, proposing increasing investment in research and development to 3% of the nation's GDP (Gross Domestic Product) within the same timeframe.
Regarding housing, which the Carneiro defined as a right rather than a privilege, the PS advocated for a national strategy, guaranteeing universal access to decent accommodation within a decade, saying that, to achieve that, the party wanted to expand the public stock of affordable housing, proposing income and corporation tax exemptions for affordable rental contracts, ensuring that 20% of such rents remained below the market median.
Carneiro also suggested exempting the sale of permanent residences from capital gains tax, emphasising the mobilisation of local authorities, state financial resources, cooperatives and private actors toward this national objective, saying that everyone should embrace it.
Additionally, he proposed eliminating child poverty by 2035, aligning with the European Anti-Poverty Strategy, and introducing the "Youth Autonomy" programme, which combined affordable housing with skilled employment and continuous training.
Within the health sector, the socialists advocated for a unit to coordinate and manage pre-hospital emergency care, alongside significant investment in home care, saying that primary care should assume its role as the heart of the health service (SNS).
Carneiro sought a "new generation of Simplex-IA”, utilising artificial intelligence to eliminate routine bureaucracy and implement an integrated service model for citizens seeking public services.
Additionally, regarding immigration, Carneiro said that Portugal must remain a country that reconciles safe, regulated migration with a welcoming attitude and successful integration.
He also called for a reduction in procedural delays, specifically in administrative and tax courts, and committed to presenting a sectoral reform proposal by the end of May.
He also proposed a "Green Deal for Portugal" to reconcile environmental targets with economic competitiveness and reduce national energy dependence, expressing concern about energy poverty and setting a target to renovate 80% of vulnerable housing within a decade.
ARL/MYAL // ADB.
Lusa
