Portugal’s parliament has approved an amendment to the Penal Code that will allow courts to revoke Portuguese nationality from dual citizens convicted of serious crimes.

The amendment, approved on Tuesday with 157 votes in favor and 64 against, gives judges the power to impose the loss of citizenship as an additional penalty on those sentenced to at least four years in prison for grave offenses.

It applies only to individuals who acquired Portuguese nationality within the last 10 years and hold another nationality, ensuring that no one becomes stateless as a result.

The measure was backed by the center-right Social Democratic Party (PSD), the conservative CDS–People’s Party, the right-wing Chega, and the liberal party Iniciativa Liberal (IL). Left-wing parties, including the Socialist Party (PS), the Left Bloc, and the Communist Party (PCP), voted against it.

Chega assisted the center-right minority government in getting the bill over the line, but had pushed for even stricter terms, calling for an automatic 20-year loss of nationality rather than the optional 10-year limit now written into law.

The law also stipulates that anyone stripped of nationality may only reapply 10 years after their criminal record has been cleared, under the general rules of the nationality law.

‘If you don’t like it, catch a flight home,’ Chega leader tells Muslims as Portugal moves to ban the burqa

The move follows another divisive parliamentary vote last week, when lawmakers approved a proposal to ban the wearing of burqas and niqabs in public spaces. The initiative, led by Chega, again passed its first reading with the support of PSD, CDS, and IL.

The bill would prohibit “the use of clothing designed to conceal or obstruct the display of the face in public spaces,” except for health reasons, religious sites, or diplomatic premises. Offenders could face fines ranging from €200 to €4,000.

Chega leader André Ventura said the measure was necessary to defend women’s rights and public security. “A woman forced to wear a burqa ceases to be free and independent and becomes an object,” he told parliament. He accused the left of hypocrisy, saying it “defends women’s rights while accepting a culture that oppresses them.”

"If you want to wear a burqa, there's a good solution. Catch a flight and go back to your country. It's easy to get to Portela Airport and buy a ticket back to Pakistan, Saudi Arabia, Morocco, wherever you want."

Chega leader @AndreCVentura speaks after the Portuguese… pic.twitter.com/DdyBUCnOBF

— Remix News & Views (@RMXnews) October 20, 2025

Speaking to reporters after the vote, Ventura addressed immigrants directly: “If you want to wear a burqa, there’s a good solution. Catch a flight and go back to your country. It’s easy to get to Portela Airport and buy a ticket back to Pakistan, Saudi Arabia, Morocco — wherever you want. You’re not needed here, sorry, but that’s the way it is.”

Chega lawmaker Madalena Cordeiro echoed the sentiment, telling parliament, “This isn’t Bangladesh, where everything is done as they please. Enough of pretending that all cultures are equal.”

Both measures now head to the Constitutional Affairs Committee for further examination. The burqa ban will require presidential approval before becoming law, while the nationality penalty amendment is expected to face legal scrutiny amid warnings from pro-immigration advocacy groups that such a move is a violation of human rights.