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The Portuguese parliament on Friday approved the first reading of a draft law that would require individuals seeking to change their legal gender to obtain a medical professional’s endorsement.
Supported by Prime Minister Luís Montenegro’s centre-right Social Democratic Party, the conservative People’s Party, and the far-right Chega Party, the measure seeks to reintroduce clinical requirements that were removed years ago.
The proposal now moves toward a final vote after the various texts of the bill are consolidated.
If passed, this legislation would effectively repeal a 2018 law that granted citizens over the age of 16 the right to change their name and gender through a straightforward legal request without medical intervention.
Supporters of the change, such as Social Democrat lawmaker Andreia Neto, argue that such significant life decisions require formal clinical support.
However, opposition leaders have condemned the move as a regressive strike against the dignity and health of transgender and intersex individuals.
Rights organisations and medical experts have also voiced strong criticism, labelling the parliamentary action a “political step backwards.”
The Portuguese Society of Clinical Sexology described the measure as scientifically unfounded and warned that it could further marginalise a vulnerable population.
International advocacy groups, including ILGA-Europe, noted that this shift mirrors a broader continental trend where certain political factions are increasingly targeting LGBTQ+ rights under the guise of family protection.
