Portugal’s constitutional court blocks immigration restriction bill
Portugal’s Constitutional Court has struck down a bill passed by the country’s right-wing parliamentary majority that would have restricted immigrants from bringing family members to join them.
The legislation, approved on July 16 with backing from the ruling centre-right coalition and the far-right Chega party, would have required most legal immigrants to wait two years before requesting family reunification, exempting only highly skilled workers and investors, News.Az reports, citing Reuters.
The court ruled the measure violated constitutional protections by potentially separating families. President Marcelo Rebelo de Sousa immediately returned the bill to parliament, which is in recess until September.
The government, which argues tighter controls are needed, says it will amend the bill to address the court’s concerns. Left-wing parties have criticised the proposal as inhumane and accuse the administration of yielding to Chega’s anti-immigration agenda.
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