Portugal's Corruption Scandal Escalates: Chega Forces Parliamentary Inquiry Into Costa's Government

The Portugal Parliament faces a fresh wave of pressure to establish a parliamentary inquiry into the sprawling "Operation Influencer" corruption probe, after the right-wing Chega Party announced it will formally table the proposal on Monday, May 4. The move aims to drag former Prime Minister António Costa and multiple ex-ministers back into the public spotlight over allegations of illicit influence in strategic sectors including lithium mining, green hydrogen production, and data infrastructure.

Why This Matters:

• Chega will force the inquiry if cross-party consensus fails, using parliamentary mechanisms that guarantee its establishment.

• António Costa, now serving as European Council president, could be summoned to testify alongside former Cabinet members tied to four contested deals.

• The Public Prosecutor's Office admitted on April 28 that the underlying criminal investigation may drag beyond 2027, fueling political frustration.

• Leaked wiretaps in late April contradicted Costa's public statements, reigniting questions about transparency and institutional trust.

Parliamentary Maneuver Brings Corruption Case Back to Center Stage

Speaking at a Lisbon press conference on May 1, Chega leader André Ventura said the party expects all-party support for the inquiry commission, but emphasized his party would deploy statutory prerogatives to compel its formation if negotiations stall. Under Portugal's parliamentary rules, a minority party can force the creation of an investigative committee provided it meets procedural thresholds—a mechanism Chega signals it is prepared to invoke.

Ventura framed the proposal as a response to "data disclosed in the last week" that he claims prove Costa and senior Socialists "lied to the Portuguese people" about critical national resources. The inquiry would scrutinize the role of external intermediaries in securing private benefits from public projects and examine whether state agencies were manipulated to rubber-stamp environmentally sensitive deals without proper assessment.

The Operation Influencer investigation, launched by the Portugal Public Prosecutor's Office in November 2023, centers on four transactions during Costa's tenure: two lithium concessions in the northern municipalities of Montalegre and Boticas, the H2Sines green hydrogen plant, and the Sines 4.0 data center project. Prosecutors are investigating up to 28 suspected offenses, including active and passive corruption, embezzlement, influence peddling, money laundering, and breach of duty.

What Triggered the Latest Political Storm

The catalyst for Chega's announcement was the release of intercepted phone calls in late April 2026, which contradict Costa's earlier denials. The former prime minister had publicly stated he never discussed the Sines projects with Diogo Lacerda Machado, a close personal friend and legal adviser to the Start Campus consortium behind the data center. However, a December 24, 2022 wiretap captures Lacerda Machado informing Costa about the "extraordinary dynamic" of the Sines initiative—a direct clash with Costa's narrative.

That revelation comes on top of procedural concerns about evidence contamination. During searches at the office of Vítor Escária, Costa's former chief of staff, police officers allegedly handled €75,000 in cash without gloves, leaving fingerprints from four different agents on the banknotes and envelope. Escária, who was detained on the first day of raids and later released under travel restrictions, claimed the funds originated from consultancy work in Angola—a justification investigators have not found persuasive.

Escária faces one count of influence peddling and two counts of breach of duty. He is accused, alongside Lacerda Machado, of pressuring the Portuguese Environment Agency (APA) to approve the Sines data center without conducting a full environmental impact assessment, potentially violating administrative due process standards.

The Cast of Defendants and the Long Road Ahead

Alongside Escária and Lacerda Machado, the roster of defendants includes:

• João Galamba, former Infrastructure Minister, whose resignation followed his indictment. Galamba's name appears in connection with the Start Campus negotiations and the initial lithium licensing process.

• Afonso Salema and Rui de Oliveira Neves, respectively CEO and administrator of Start Campus, each facing seven criminal counts.

• Nuno Lacasta, president of the Portuguese Environment Agency since 2012, implicated in allegations that regulatory approval was granted improperly.

• Nuno Mascarenhas, mayor of Sines, detained for questioning but not formally charged.

• João Tiago Silveira, a lawyer named as a suspect.

The Start Campus company itself has been indicted for influence peddling—a rare step in corporate criminal liability under Portugal's Penal Code. Despite the scale of the operation, which included searches at 42 locations (among them the Prime Minister's Office and two ministries), some defendants have not yet been interviewed by prosecutors, and portions of the seized material remain unexamined more than 18 months into the probe.

Impact on Residents and Investors

The Operação Influencer case has direct implications for anyone living in or investing in Portugal. National resource concessions—particularly lithium, a critical mineral for electric vehicle batteries and energy storage—are now under a cloud of legal uncertainty. Investors eyeing Portugal's green transition face heightened regulatory and reputational risk if procurement processes are perceived as compromised.

For Portugal-based entrepreneurs and multinationals, the case underscores the importance of rigorous anti-corruption due diligence. Corporate actors implicated in public tenders may find themselves subject to criminal liability, asset freezes, and reputational damage, even if they acted in good faith. Legal observers note that the Start Campus indictment signals a willingness by prosecutors to pursue corporate entities, not just individuals.

The prolonged timeline of the investigation also contributes to economic and institutional uncertainty. On April 28, the director of the Central Department for Criminal Investigation and Prosecution (DCIAP), Rui Cardoso, acknowledged that closing the inquiry before 2027 is unlikely, citing the complexity of financial tracing and wiretap validation. That indefinite horizon complicates business planning for sectors awaiting clarity on procurement rules and political stability.

Political Reactions Split Along Predictable Lines

The Socialist Party (PS), now in opposition, dismissed Chega's proposal as "another smokescreen," according to spokesperson Bruno Gonçalves. The PS, which held an absolute majority until Costa's resignation triggered snap elections in March 2024, has been defensive about the scandal but has also demanded explanations from the judiciary about procedural delays.

The Liberal Initiative, which accused Costa of dishonesty following the wiretap disclosures, has not explicitly endorsed Chega's inquiry proposal. Meanwhile, the Left Bloc criticized the selective leaking of wiretaps, arguing it undermines judicial impartiality but stopped short of backing a parliamentary commission.

The Communist Party (PCP) declined to comment, calling the matter "still too green," while the Livre Party, through deputy Patrícia Gonçalves, stated it "does not comment on ongoing investigations" and prefers resolution "through the courts." That stance reflects a broader concern that politicizing an active criminal probe could compromise judicial independence.

Neither the Social Democratic Party (PSD), currently leading the coalition government, nor the People-Animals-Nature Party (PAN) has publicly commented on Chega's initiative. Observers note that the PSD may be reluctant to support a commission that could reopen wounds from the previous administration while simultaneously setting a precedent that future opposition parties could deploy against it.

What Comes Next

If Chega succeeds in convening the inquiry—whether through consensus or statutory coercion—António Costa could be summoned to testify before the Portugal Assembly, an extraordinary event given his current role as President of the European Council. Such testimony would be unprecedented in recent Portuguese political history and could strain relations between Lisbon and Brussels.

The commission would have subpoena power to compel documents and witness testimony from former ministers, civil servants, and private-sector actors. Its findings would not carry criminal weight but could shape public opinion, influence judicial proceedings, and redefine the boundaries of acceptable conduct in public procurement.

For now, the Public Prosecutor's Office continues its work amid mounting political and public pressure. The case has already reshaped Portugal's political landscape, ending a government with an absolute majority and raising fundamental questions about the intersection of political power, economic interests, and democratic oversight. Whether the parliamentary inquiry accelerates accountability or deepens polarization will depend on how parties navigate the coming weeks.