Parliament agrees to extend free creche places to children from families on “escalões 1 and 2”

Parliament has voted in favour of a PCP communist draft law which will mean low-income families (on Social Security scales 1 and 2) will be entitled to free creche places for children under the age of 3. The new law should come into effect from April 1 2022. PCP communists have long demanded free creche places for all families with babies and toddlers, but this compromise struck with the government still represents significant progress. During the debate PS MP Hugo Oliveira said the government is committed to “continuing to work seriously” in this regard, insisting “a lot has been done, but we want to do more”.