A university study has found that nearly half of citizens’ legislative initiatives secured parliamentary approval, reflecting how public campaigns can influence lawmaking in Portugal.
Public protests can do more than demonstrate support, as citizens can submit proposed legislation directly to Parliament by gathering 20,000 signatures.
This mechanism has already produced eight approved initiatives out of 17 examined in a 2024 academic study, which represents a 47 percent success rate.
The issue has returned to the spotlight after housing rights campaigners announced plans to use the mechanism to turn their demands into a formal legislative proposal, which would require MPs to consider it and take a position on the measure.
Known as Iniciativas Legislativas de Cidadãos (ILC), or citizens’ legislative initiatives, the system gives people a route to participate in the legislative process beyond voting in elections or taking part in street demonstrations.
As reported by Público, research by academics from the University of Lisbon and NOVA University Lisbon, published in the journal Parliamentary Affairs in 2024, initially identified seven successful initiatives, which have since risen to eight following the approval of a proposal concerning the extension of parental leave.
Of the 17 initiatives examined, five were rejected, three expired, and one was withdrawn, suggesting that citizens’ proposals can secure parliamentary backing, although success depends on navigating a demanding legislative process.
How the process works
The signature threshold was reduced from 35,000 to 20,000 in 2016, making the mechanism more accessible.
Citizens can collect signatures online through a platform provided by the Assembly of the Republic, as well as on paper.
However, reaching the required number is only the first hurdle, as proposals must be drafted in a formal legislative format that explains the proposed changes and identifies the affected laws, with Parliament verifying the signatories’ details before proceeding.
Once admitted, Parliament refers the initiative to the relevant committee for debate and a plenary vote, and discussions may then focus on individual provisions before the final vote.
Sofia Serra-Silva, a researcher at the University of Lisbon’s Institute of Social Sciences and co-author of the academic study, told Público that the process requires familiarity with legal terminology and the technical conventions used to draft legislation.
Nevertheless, she argues that the value of these initiatives should not be measured solely by whether they become law, as bringing an issue into Parliament can force political parties to respond to citizens’ demands and clarify their positions.
One weakness researchers identify is that the people behind an initiative often have limited involvement once parliamentary proceedings begin. Although their representatives may be heard at the outset, they can lose direct influence over subsequent negotiations.
Furthermore, citizen proposals are often debated alongside bills submitted by political parties, making it harder to determine how much of the original text survives.
Legislative change
The demonstrations organised by the Geração à Rasca movement in March 2011 show how public mobilisation can translate into legislative change.
These protests brought concerns about insecure employment and working conditions to the forefront of the political debate. A citizens’ initiative addressing precarious work subsequently reached Parliament in early 2012, when Portugal was under austerity measures and governed by a PSD/CDS coalition.
Despite the political climate, the proposal eventually passed as legislation and was approved unanimously.
Sociologist José Soeiro, a University of Porto professor who helped organise the initiative, recalled that the different political interpretations of the demonstrations helped make agreement possible.
While left-wing parties focused on the movement’s opposition to precarious employment, right-wing parties also viewed it as an expression of frustration among younger generations.
The original proposal covered three areas: temporary agency work, fixed-term contracts and the misuse of self-employment arrangements, commonly associated with “recibos verdes”.
Parliamentary negotiations dropped the provisions on temporary work and fixed-term contracts, while retaining changes on false self-employment, which all parties supported.
According to Público, representatives of the movement took part in almost every parliamentary working session on the legislation, and their sustained involvement was considered unusual, given that citizen groups are often less present during later stages of the process.
Housing campaigners
The planned housing initiative gives campaigners another chance to turn public pressure into a formal legislative proposal, following protests over housing access and controversy over police interventions at encampments in Lisbon and Porto.
However, the precise content of the proposed legislation and its eventual progress through parliament remain to be determined.
For Serra-Silva, the decision to use a citizens’ legislative initiative is itself an important expression of democratic participation, challenging the assumption that younger people are disengaged from politics by showing that civic involvement can happen through channels beyond elections and demonstrations.
Portugal’s experience shows that citizens can influence the legislative agenda, and sometimes secure changes to the law.
Yet the approval figures tell only part of the story, because even when a proposal succeeds, its original objectives may be narrowed or amended during parliamentary negotiations.
The 20,000-signature threshold gives citizens a direct route into the legislative process, but whether housing campaigners can turn that opportunity into concrete change will depend on the proposal they submit and the support it attracts in Parliament.