Independence debate for Portugal's public news agency Lusa: ERC detects problems in new structure

Portugal's media regulator, the ERC, has concluded that the restructuring of the state-owned Lusa news agency is not fully compatible with existing rules and good practices in terms of the independence of public media from political power.

The evaluation of the Entidade Reguladora para a Comunicação Social is not just a technical discussion of company management. The institution particularly points out that public perception of Lusa's current board's independence from political power may be affected during the 2026-2029 term of office. citeturn2search4turn2search5

At the heart of the debate is how the board of directors is selected

In Lusa's new management model, the number of members on the board of directors was increased to three and all managers were appointed by the state, which is the sole shareholder of the company.

In its application to the ERC on April 13, Sindicato dos Jornalistas, or Journalists' Union, argued that the new status increased the risk of foreign intervention and did not provide sufficient assurance, especially regarding the influence of political power on the editorial structure. citeturn0search12

In the ERC's evaluation, transparency in the appointment of managers and the adequacy of public audit mechanisms are questioned.

ERC: Institutional protection inadequate under current administration

In the new structure, Conselho Consultivo's provision of preliminary opinions on board appointments is an assurance of independence. It is foreseen.

However, the critical detail that ERC draws attention to is timing.

The three current directors were elected to a four-year term the day before the Advisory Council's requirement to give prior opinion on appointments came into force. For this reason, it is stated that the mechanism in question will not be actually implemented in the current 2026-2029 administration period and will come into effect for the next administration period. citeturn0search12

The ERC considers that this situation may have consequences for the preservation of Lusa's institutional independence during its current mandate.

There is also a question mark regarding parliamentary control

The regulator highlights the importance of parliamentary control of the public news agency, as it does of the public broadcaster RTP.

According to the ERC's assessment, it is legally problematic whether it is sufficient for some elements of the new status to be regulated solely by a decision taken by the state in its capacity as a shareholder.

The Journalists Union appealed not only to the ERC but also to the Provedor de Justiça on the issue. The union argues that the new status poses a problem in terms of constitutional principles regarding freedom of information and press. citeturn0search12

The important distinction here is that the ERC has not made a determination that Lusa's news was directed by the government. The debate is about whether the management model created sufficiently guarantees the institutional independence of the public news agency from the political power. relating to.

The impact of the controversy extends far beyond the agency's own corporate structure, as Lusa is one of the main news providers for a vast media ecosystem in Portugal, from television to newspapers and digital publications.

Resources

Renascença / Lusa, 10 September 2026: Reestruturação da Lusa “não está conforme” o funcionamento independente de um meio público, diz ERC

ECO / Lusa, 9 September 2026: ERC aponta desconformidades na reestruturação da Lusa

Lusa, 9 September 2026: Reestruturação da Lusa “não está conforme” — ERC