Assembly of the Republic (Portugal) facts for kids

Quick facts for kids Assembly of the Republic Assembleia da República
17th legislature
Emblem and Flag of the Assembly
Logo of the Assembly
Type
Type	Unicameral
Term limits	None
History
Founded	April 25, 1976 (1976-04-25)
Preceded by	Constituent Assembly
New session started	March 10, 2024 (2024-03-10)
Leadership
President	José Pedro Aguiar-Branco, PPD/PSD
Vice-Presidents	Teresa Morais (PPD/PSD) Diogo Pacheco de Amorim (CH) Marcos Perestrello (PS) Rodrigo Saraiva (IL)
Structure
Seats	230
Political groups	Government (91)      PPD/PSD (89)      CDS–PP (2) Opposition (139)      CH (60)      PS (58)      IL (9)      LIVRE (6)      PCP (3)      BE (1)      PAN (1)      JPP (1)
Length of term	4 years
Elections
Voting system	Closed list proportional representation D'Hondt method
Last election	18 May 2025
Next election	By 14 October 2029
Meeting place
São Bento Palace, Lisbon, Portugal
Constitution
Constitution of Portugal - Part 3 - Title 3

The Assembly of the Republic (in Portuguese, Assembleia da República) is like the main meeting place where important decisions for Portugal are made. It's often called the Parliament. Think of it as the voice of all Portuguese citizens. It's one of the most important parts of the government.

This assembly meets in a beautiful old building called São Bento Palace in Lisbon. This palace used to be a monastery! It has been the home for Portugal's parliament for a very long time, since 1834.

What the Assembly Does

The Assembly of the Republic has many important jobs. Its main powers include:

• Changing Laws: They can create new laws or change old ones for the country.
• Changing the Constitution: They can even change the Constitution of Portugal, which is the most important set of rules for the country. To do this, they need a very large agreement from two-thirds of the members.
• Checking the Government: The Assembly can vote to remove the government if they believe it's not doing a good job. This is called a "vote of no confidence."
• Managing Money: They have a big say in how the country's money (the budget) is spent. They also decide if the government can collect taxes or borrow money.
• International Agreements: They approve important agreements and treaties with other countries.
• War and Peace: They must agree if the President wants to declare war or make peace.
• Appointing Important People: The Assembly chooses many people for other important government groups. For example, they pick most of the judges for the Constitutional Court.

The Assembly also makes sure the government is doing its job well. They look at new government plans and can set up special groups to investigate what the government is doing. Members from different political parties can ask questions and debate government decisions.

How the Assembly is Organized

The Assembly has 230 members, called MPs. These MPs are chosen by people voting in elections every four years. They come from different areas of Portugal, called "constituencies." There are 22 such areas.

• Most constituencies are in mainland Portugal.
• Two constituencies are for the islands of Azores and Madeira.
• Two more constituencies are for Portuguese citizens who live in other countries.

The number of MPs from each area depends on how many people live there. For example, the Lisbon area elects many MPs, while smaller areas elect fewer.

Working Together in the Assembly

Even though MPs are elected from specific areas, their job is to represent all of Portugal. They usually belong to political parties. These parties help organize how the Assembly works. MPs are expected to vote with their party. This helps parties work together to achieve their goals. Party leaders also help decide what topics the Assembly will discuss.

The President of the Assembly

The Assembly has a leader called the President of the Assembly of the Republic. This person is very important, second only to the President of Portugal himself. The MPs choose their President through a secret vote.

The President's job is to lead the meetings and make sure everything runs smoothly. They have four helpers, called Vice-Presidents, who are chosen by other parties. If the President of Portugal cannot do their job for some reason, the President of the Assembly steps in to help.

Who is in the Assembly Now?

The Assembly of the Republic currently has 230 members. These members belong to different political parties. Here's a look at how many seats each main party has in the current legislature (which started after the 2025 elections):

Past Presidents of the Assembly

You can find a full list of all the people who have been President of the Assembly here:

See also

In Spanish: Asamblea de la República de Portugal para niños

• São Bento Palace
• ARtv (Portugal)
• Legislative Assembly of Madeira
• Legislative Assembly of the Azores

Images for kids

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  Map showing the electoral districts of Portugal.

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  A visual representation of the 2025 Portuguese Parliament composition.

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  São Bento Palace, the beautiful building where the Assembly meets.