New crises hit healthcare and schools; democracy falters.
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Portugal's National Health Service (SNS) is facing a critical juncture, with Constantino Sakellarides, a professor at the National School of Public Health, stating it is in "critical condition" after 47 years. This alarming assessment comes as NHS contracted doctors, known as 'tarefeiros', threaten a massive strike if the government proceeds with cuts to their hourly pay rate.
The education sector is also under severe strain, particularly in Lisbon, where schools are expanding class sizes to accommodate students who have not yet been assigned a place. This move highlights growing concerns about school capacity and persistent teacher shortages. Meanwhile, new studies indicate Portugal is experiencing significant democratic backsliding, with notable setbacks in civil liberties and freedom of expression since 2020, placing it among European nations with the most democratic reversals.
In other news, over 800 firefighters are currently engaged in battling two significant wildfires in Proença-a-Nova. Politically, the Chega party continues to challenge José Pedro Aguiar-Branco, the President of the Assembly of the Republic, maintaining its request for a parliamentary inquiry concerning Luís Neves, the Minister of Home Affairs. Mariana Leão also offered political commentary, suggesting that Prime Minister Luís Montenegro's government is focused on daily management and lacks the capacity for structural reforms.