Portuguese Parliament (Assambleia da República) today approved the “Mais Habitação” program for the second time, after the President had vetoed it late August.

The package was approved with only with the vote of the PS. The PSD, Chega, the Liberal Initiative, the PCP and the Left Bloc voted against the package. PAN abstained.

This now obliges the President to give his approval, although the Government still has to draft specific regulations to address each individual aspect of the law.

If the regulation process goes through Parliament, the President of the Republic has 20 days to decide. If he decides to veto, the diploma is returned to Parliament where it can be amended.

If the regulatory decrees are produced by the Government, the decision period extends to 40 days, from the day the President receives the document. In this case, the President’s veto is definitive, such that the Government will be forced to create another diploma.