A new law published in the Diário da República establishes rules for the display and hoisting of flags in public buildings and services in Madeira and the Azores. The diploma, Law No. 63/2026, defines which symbols can be officially used, mandates the removal of unauthorized ones, and imposes fines that can reach four thousand euros.
The legislation expressly applies to both autonomous regions, safeguarding the powers of their respective self-government bodies and the specificities arising from regional autonomy. Only the National Flag, the European Union flag, and legally recognized institutional and heraldic flags, including those of the autonomous regions and local authorities, may be displayed.
Other flags are permitted only in specific cases, such as historical evocation initiatives, institutional, educational, or official recognition programs, and representations of international commitments in official initiatives without partisan or electoral nature. The prohibition does not cover private properties, cultural, sports, or associative events without official state representation, nor diplomatic ceremonies.
