The Government of the Portugal Guardian plans to expel some 18,000 foreigners living in the country without authorization, a minister announced on Saturday during a national election.
The Minister of Presidency António Leitão Amaro said on Saturday that the central-law government would make around 18,000 notifications to the inhabitants of the country to leave illegally. The Minister said those responsible will start next week by asking some 4,500 foreigners to go voluntarily within 20 days.
According to the Portugal resident The information website, immigrants will begin to receive the first batch of notifications today. Citing reports, the site adds that, if they do not comply, “they will be subject to an expulsion process”.
Monday, Internet of News Portugal News said the Integration, Migration and Asylum Agency (AIMA) had started the process.
Sunday, Portugal Pulse Information Site said Prime Minister Luis Montenegro denied that the process was accelerated by the next May 18 elections and said it was part of the process that started in June from last year.
He also refuted opposition criticism of a “trumping” of his campaign, a reference to the repression of the borders of American president Donald Trump.
“It is not a question of forcibly removing someone. It is a question of notifying the person, and the person can appeal. If he cannot meet the requirements, he must leave,” said Montenegro, according to Portugal Pulse.
Ascension of the right
Portugal, which has around 10.6 million inhabitants, has had a series of minority governments in recent years as traditional competitors in power, the central-law social democratic party and center-left socialists, have lost votes against smaller parties.
One of these parts is the Chega party, that the newspaper Humanities and social sciences communications The notes have often been described as “radical populist party because of its policies and its rhetoric. It advocates an anti-immigration position, with a particular emphasis on the reduction of illegal immigration and the strengthening of border security.”
The country was taken in the growing European tide of populism. The Chega party reached third place in last year’s elections.
“These results confirm the growing success of the radical populist game book”, including “firm opposition to immigration”, ” wrote Filipe CalvãoAssociate professor of anthropology and sociology at the University of Chicago, on the website of the Graduate Institute of Geneva last year.
Portugal will hold a first general election on May 18. The Montenegro called the Snap ballot in March after its minority government, led by its conservative social democratic party, lost confidence in Parliament and withdrew.
Anti-immigration feeling
The government of the center-right of Portugal hardened certain immigration rules in the past year, reflecting attempts elsewhere in Europe to postpone the rise of the extreme right.
Last year, among the restrictions, was prohibited a widely used mechanism called “interest manifestation”, which for years allowed the migrants not without employment contract to move to Portugal and request the residence after paying social security for a year.
An increase in “digital nomads” had contributed to the growth of the counterpoup against immigrants, due to the increase in housing and life costs, Telegraph reports. According to FortuneThe prices of housing in Lisbon, the capital, have increased by 30% in the past five years.
Last month, Portuguese anti-riot police arrested several ultra-right demonstrators after clashes in downtown Lisbon spoiled the celebrations of the 51st anniversary of the Auto Revolution, which ended a fascist dictatorship.
Groups on the far right such as ERGUE-TE (RISE UP), Habeas Corpus and Grupo 1143 had called a rally, that the authorities of the city prohibited, to protest before the legislative elections against the increasing number of immigrants.
About 1.5 million migrants live in Portugal, the triple of the number ten years ago. According to the Full human development Website, most migrations are traditionally sunk from Portuguese countries, such as Brazil, Cap Verde and Angola.
According to the OECD, Brazil, India and Italy were the three main nationalities of new arrivals in Portugal in 2022, and in 2023, the number of first asylum candidates increased by 31%. The majority of candidates came from Gambia, Afghanistan and Colombia, reports the OECD.
About 14% of taxpayers are migrants, Reuters reportsContributing more than 1.6 billion euros ($ 2.5 billion CDN) to the economy in 2022, while receiving around 257 million euros (401 million CDN dollars) in benefits.
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