The National Association of Parishes (Anafre) today failed a large majority, in Braga, a motion that defends the implementation of regionalization in Portugal.

The motion “Implementation of Regionalization in Portugal”, which had as its first subscriber the president of the Parish Council of Ferrel, in Peniche, in the district of Leiria, Pedro Barata, had 267 votes against, 145 in favor and 41 abstentions.

At the moment when its rejection was announced, a clap was heard from the room of the Altice Forum Braga, where the XVIII Anafre Congress ends today.

The document, now rejected, argues that regionalization “brings efficient gains and deepens democracy in the country”. In addition, it is mentioned that regionalization would contribute to a Government, Assembly of the Republic and Public Administration “more compact, light and quick, decentralized and less costly for the Portuguese State”.

Unlike the Parish Congress Councils of Municipalities, when the Congress Councils of Municipalities took place in December, the National Association of Municipalities (ANMP) joined this process.

The prime minister, António Costa, has already said that he wants to “give a voice to the people” in 2024 on regionalization, after at the end of 2023 the path taken in terms of decentralization will be evaluated.