Portugal’s Public Prosecutor’s Office announced the charges on Monday, following an investigation that included searches at Albufeira Council.

The case relates to an Albufeira Municipal Assembly meeting held on 26 November 2025, just over three weeks after Cristina, a member of Chega, took office as mayor.

During a discussion about housing and municipally owned land, Cristina allegedly said that the council, by its own decision, would not spend money on housing for a particular group of residents from an ethnic minority. According to prosecutors, he justified the position by claiming members of the group did not pay taxes.

Although the Public Prosecutor’s statement does not name the community, the investigation followed a complaint from PSD municipal assembly member Helena Palhota Simões, who said the mayor’s comments referred to Albufeira’s Roma community.

Prosecutors allege that Cristina’s remarks placed members of the community in an inferior position to other residents regarding access to housing.

They also accuse the mayor of acting with the intention of damaging the honour and reputation of members of the community by portraying them collectively as failing to meet their tax obligations, and by encouraging feelings of aversion and hatred towards them.

The comments were not confined to the assembly chamber. The meeting was broadcast live on Albufeira Council’s YouTube channel, while footage was later shared through Cristina’s social media accounts and groups associated with his political activity.

Council previously defended the mayor.

The controversy had already prompted a response from Albufeira Council. In March, the municipality denied that Cristina discriminated against any group or ethnicity, either positively or negatively, and confirmed that it was cooperating with the investigation.

Prosecutors also investigated accusations Cristina made against Helena Palhota Simões following her complaint.

That part of the case has now been closed. The Public Prosecutor’s Office said investigators found sufficient evidence that her complaint was based on truthful facts and had been submitted for the legitimate purpose of requesting an investigation.

What happens next?

Cristina can request an instrução, an optional stage of Portuguese criminal proceedings in which a judge assesses whether there is sufficient evidence to proceed to trial.

If he does not request this stage, the case can move towards trial before a panel of judges.

Prosecutors are also asking that, in the event of a conviction, the disputed material be removed from online platforms.

The case comes less than a year after Cristina’s election as mayor. He won Albufeira for Chega in October 2025 with 40.51% of the vote, ending decades of PSD/CDS-PP control of one of the Algarve’s largest municipalities.

His victory was also significant for Chega in the region, following the party’s strong performances in the Algarve during the 2024 and 2025 legislative elections.