The number of 308 municipalities in Portugal is, above all, the result of a long historical process, consolidated in the 19th century after the liberal reforms, and which has remained relatively stable since then.
There is no single modern mathematical or geographical "rationale" that justifies this exact number, but rather a combination of historical, political, and cultural factors that have maintained it over time.
Factors that Justify the Current Number of Municipalities:
Historical Heritage and Post-Liberal Stability
The current number (308) is a remnant of the major administrative reform carried out by Liberalism in the 19th century.
Passos Manuel Reform (1836):
This reform, which followed that of Mouzinho da Silveira, drastically reduced the number of municipalities (which were over 800) to approximately 351, with the aim of creating larger and more viable municipal districts.
Consolidation: After this initial reduction, the municipal map underwent few significant changes. The number fluctuated between a minimum of 268 (in 1853) and a maximum of 351, gradually settling at a level close to the current one, due to political stability and local resistance to further abolitions.
The Importance of Local Government:
Municipalities are the main local government in Portugal, enshrined in the Constitution (art. 235), and represent the level of administration closest to the citizen.
Proximity and Identity:
The maintenance of 308 municipalities reflects the strong local identity and the historical roots of the population. The abolition of a municipality is often seen as a loss of autonomy and community identity.
Decentralization:
The municipality is the primary instrument of state decentralization, with its own bodies (Council and City Council) that aim to promote the interests of their respective populations.
Geographic and Population Size (European Context):
Although 308 may seem large for Portugal's size, in a European comparison, Portuguese municipalities are, on average, relatively large:
Population:
The average Portuguese municipality has around 34.000 inhabitants, well above the European Union average (around 5.000 inhabitants per municipality). Portugal ranks 7th in the EU in terms of population per municipality.
Territory: The average area of a Portuguese municipality (around 300 km²) is six times larger than the EU average (around 52 km²).
This suggests that, unlike other European countries that have undergone large municipal mergers in recent decades to gain scale, Portugal already has municipalities of considerable size, which has reduced the pressure for more radical reforms.
The Debate on Rationalizing the Map:
Despite stability, the number of councils is often the subject of debate.
The argument in favor of reducing it is based on the significant disparity between municipalities.
Extreme Disparity:
Some municipalities, such as Lisbon, Sintra, and Vila Nova de Gaia, have over 300,000 inhabitants, while 15% of the total (approximately 49) have less than 5,000 inhabitants.
Financial and Managerial Viability:
Very small municipalities with small populations sometimes face greater difficulties in managing public services and taking advantage of economies of scale.
However, any attempt to change this number encounters political and social resistance, maintaining the 308 municipalities.
It will be difficult to understand how, with current transportation, telecommunications systems and highways, the State Budget continues to support 308 administrative structures, the overwhelming majority of which are impossible to support due to the amount collected in local taxes...
What is the logic behind maintaining a 19th-century decision unchanged?
The number of councilors on a city council in Portugal is not fixed, but rather a range that depends on the number of voters in the respective municipality.
The minimum and maximum numbers, excluding the special situations of Lisbon and Porto (which have 16 and 12 councilors, respectively), follow the following rule:
* Minimum: 4 councilors in municipalities with 10,000 or fewer voters.
* Maximum: 10 councilors in municipalities with 100,000 or more voters.
Structure by Number of Voters
The composition of the City Council (which includes the Mayor and other Councilors) is defined by the following table:
Number of Voters, Number of Councilors
10,000 or fewer voters, 4.
More than 10,000 and up to 50,000 voters, 6
More than 50,000 and less than 100,000 voters, 8.
100,000 or more voters, 10.
Note: In Lisbon and Porto, the number of councilors is 16 and 12, respectively.
The Mayor is always the first candidate of the most voted slate, and the remaining members of the executive committee are councilors.
In other words, at least 308 x 5 (Pr+Verd.) = 1.540 local positions...
