Portuguese debate over FCT decree
Political controversy in Portugal erupted over a decree that scientists say would threaten FCT, the national science funding agency, with critics warning it could devastate research. Social posts and public commentary show researchers publicly criticising the measure and raising concerns about administrative and funding risks for the research sector. (x.com)
Portugal’s parliament reopened the fight over a decree that would fold the Foundation for Science and Technology into a new Agency for Research and Innovation. The law creating that agency took effect on January 1, 2026. (diariodarepublica.pt) The decree-law, published on December 24, 2025 as Decree-Law No. 132/2025, creates the Agency for Research and Innovation by transforming the National Innovation Agency and merging in the Foundation for Science and Technology. Socialist Party lawmakers filed a parliamentary challenge on January 22, 2026, and the Assembly debated it on April 9. (diariodarepublica.pt) (parlamento.pt) The Foundation for Science and Technology is Portugal’s national public agency for funding and evaluating research across all fields of knowledge. Its website is still publishing 2026 grant calendars, fellowship tables and open calls while the political dispute continues. (gov.pt) (fct.pt) The government says the new agency will give research and innovation a single home, with a multiannual budget and a contract-program meant to add planning stability. In his April 9 speech to parliament, Education, Science and Innovation Minister Fernando Alexandre said the goal is to link basic research more closely to economic and social impact and help Portugal reach research and innovation spending of 3% of gross domestic product by 2030. (portugal.gov.pt) (diariodarepublica.pt) Researchers, rectors and research managers have argued the merger puts too much weight on short-term innovation policy and too little protection around basic science. Reporting in December and November said university leaders warned of “insufficient protection” for fundamental research and said most European systems keep science funding and business innovation agencies separate. (rtp.pt) (expresso.pt) (noticiasaominuto.com) That argument has sharpened because the Foundation for Science and Technology is the state body that runs project calls, doctoral and postdoctoral funding, research-unit evaluations and other core parts of Portugal’s academic pipeline. Any change in who controls those functions affects universities, laboratories and thousands of researchers waiting on calls and contracts. (fct.pt 1) (fct.pt 2) The dispute has also become a procedural fight. Parliament’s initiative page shows amendment proposals from Left Bloc, Livre and the Socialist Party were tabled for the April 9 review, and a separate Communist Party resolution entered on April 9 sought to end the decree-law’s validity altogether. (parlamento.pt 1) (parlamento.pt 2) Outside parliament, the government has kept building the new structure. A public presentation on February 24 set out the method for defining the new agency’s strategic domains and budget allocation, with the secretary of state for science and innovation, the secretary of state for the economy and the president of the Foundation for Science and Technology on the program. (fct.pt) For now, the decree is in force, the Foundation for Science and Technology is still operating, and the political battle has shifted to whether Portugal should run science funding and innovation policy under one roof or pull them apart again. (diariodarepublica.pt) (fct.pt)
