A bitter row erupted between Portuguese lawmakers after months-long tripartite talks between the government, unions and employer bodies collapsed.
Socialists say the minority government has lost credibility driving its “law of the jungle” Labor XXI reform. Prime Minister Luís Montenegro mocked unions as “20th‑century frameworks,” vowing to hammer the reform through Parliament with support from liberals and the far-right Chega Party.
As the center-right government’s flagship initiative, Labor XXI proposes over 100 changes to the labor code. Its provisions include expanding temporary contracts, loosening dismissal rules, and hardening minimum service obligations—measures unions say erode worker protections and the right to strike. Montenegro argues the overhaul would “modernize” the economy, replacing rigid rules with “boldness” and “agility.”
In response, two largest labor confederations called a new general strike for June 3, following a massive walkout of up to 3 million people on December 11, 2025.
