Minister of Justice, Francisca Van Dunem, has said that ‘preaching the nonexistence of racist phenomenon within Portuguese society has become almost commonplace’, adding that the ‘denialism, [and] the persistent underestimation of the phenomenon leads to disaster and a radicalisation of stances’.

Van Dunem claims that one possible solution will only arrive ‘if those who appear to be different are attending the same day-care centres, the same preschools, they are neighbours or work colleagues, have the same stimuli’.

Moreover, the Minister commended the report published by the parliamentary sub-commission for Equality and Non-Discrimination, which highlighted the need for more representative political parties, recruitment campaigns within the Roma and Afro-descendent communities, or the abolishment of exclusive classrooms for ethnic minorities.