Autonomous regions and local government

Each region has a Legislative Assembly, directly elected, and a Regional Government that answers to it. Regions can make regional laws in the areas of their statute and have their own tax powers.

Each region has a Representative of the Republic, appointed by the President. The Representative appoints the President of the Regional Government, taking the election results into account.

Portugal has 308 municipalities: 278 on the mainland, 19 in the Azores and 11 in Madeira. Each municipality has a municipal council (câmara municipal), which governs, and a municipal assembly, which decides and scrutinises.

Parishes (freguesias) are the level of local government closest to people. Law 25-A/2025 restored parishes that had been merged in 2013, from the local elections of 12 October 2025. The official results of those elections include 3,259 parishes, counting Corvo, where no parish election takes place.

Local mandates last 4 years. Mayors and parish council presidents can serve at most 3 terms in a row.