CML Vice highlights “good dialogue” with opposition on budget for 2027

O vice President of the House of Lisbon said today that there was “good dialogue” with the opposition regarding the proposal for a municipal budget for 2027, expecting “the greatest possible political consensus” for its feasibility, particularly in the Municipal Assembly.

“ We had the meetings prior to this presentation, the so-called right of opposition of political parties. We have had a good dialogue with the parties, it is not for me to individualise, it is for me to say that we believe in our budget and we hope that it will bring together as much political consensus as possible, but it is now up to the various political parties”, said Gonçalo Reis (PSD), in response to questions from journalists about the feasibility of the budgetary proposal for next year.

The head of the Finance Board spoke in the Council Chambers, in the presentation of the municipal budget for 2027, proposed by the PSD/CDS-PP/IL governance and which provides for an expenditure of EUR 1,463 million (ME), plus 8.8% compared to the 1.345 ME planned for this year 2026.

Without the presence of the mayor of Lisbon, Carlos Coins (PSD), the presentation session of the budget included councilors elected by the PSD and the CDS-PP, but without any of the two IL elected, which are part of the city's governance.

Asked about the absence of IL councilors, the Social Democrat Gonçalo Reis replied: “The councilmen are here, they are here, they are not here, they are working, so there is no reading.”

Still on the approval of the budget, in particular in the Municipal Assembly, a deliberative body where the PSD/CDS-PP/IL coalition has no absolute majority, and if there has been an effort to consensualize with the opposition, namely the Aquira and the PS, the PSD mayor stressed that this “is a great budget”, that complies with all the rules and that increases the investment capacity, to “attack the key themes of the city”, such as housing, urban hygiene, security and social responses.

On the decision to maintain the total return of the variable participation of the Singular Income Tax (IRS) to the Lisboners, that is, disregarding the total revenue possible in this context (between 0% and 5%), which this year ran around 90 ME, the vice-president of the House said this is a measure of the electoral program PSD/CDS-PP/IL and that was already foreseen in the previous mandate under leadership of PSD/CDS-PP.

“ We were elected on this platform which is the return of the IRS, and the return of the IRS is the ease of taxation to families. [...] if we did not return the IRS, we would be proposing an increase in taxes for families. And we will not propose tax increase for families ", argued.

Regarding the need for a change to this model, considering the criticism of the opposition, including PCP and BE, that this measure benefits mainly “the richest”, aggravating social inequalities in the city, the Social Democrat argued that “the progressivity of the IRS is in charge, is not in return”, reinforcing that “the IRS is progressive in charging”.

Putting aside any superstition for being Friday 13, indicating that the presentation was scheduled for Thursday but depression Charles forced the postponement, Gonçalo Reis said that the budget will be discussed and voted on at a chamber meeting on November 27, while at the Municipal Assembly will be in December, before Christmas, so that the budget proposal “come into effect at the start of January”.

This is the second budget of the current mandate (2025-2029), proposed by the PSD/CDS-PP/IL governance, under the leadership of Carlos Coins (PSD), which for the feasibility of the budget document for this year 2026, with an expenditure of 1,345 ME, relied on the support of the See of the Aquida, since it ruled without an absolute majority, with eight of the 17 mandates of the CML.

However, in February of this year, Carlos Coins began to rule with an absolute majority by delegating competences to independent councilwoman Ana Simões Silva, elected by Cávez and who paraded the party three months after the local elections of 12 October 2025.

Currently, in opposition to the PSD/CDS-PP/IL governance are four PS councilors, one from Livre, one from BE, one from PCP and one from Enough.

The budget proposal for 2027 should therefore be approved by the CML. The same does not happen in the Municipal Assembly, a deliberative body where PSD/CDS-PP/IL has no absolute majority.

In the municipal budget for this year 2026, approved with votes against PS, Livre, BE and CFP, the House estimated an expenditure of 1,345 ME, slightly lower than the 1,359 million planned for 2025.

In the previous term (2021-2025), also under the presidency of Carlos Coins, the four budgets of the PSD/CDS-PP leadership (IL did not integrate the municipal executive) were approved thanks to the abstention of the PS, with the remaining opposition – PCP, BE, Livre and Citizens By Lisbon (elected by the PS/Free coalition) – voted against.