Portugal was affected simultaneously by an economic, financial, and budgetary crisis. It is in this context that in 2011 the country signed an MoU on Specific Economic Policy Conditionality with the EU, the ECB, and the IMF, which prescribed cuts on social expenses in wages, pensions, and other benefits of an ‘assistentialist’ nature. The legal measures adopted in this respect focused mostly on the social security scheme and introduced changes in the legal framework for future pensions and unemployment benefits, new contributions for pensions in payment, and former non-contributory benefits, as well as cuts in pensions and benefits. Throughout the years, the President of the Republic, members of the parliament, and the Ombudsman have asked the Constitutional Court to assess many of the rules included in the State Budget Laws, arguing a violation of fundamental social rights and basic principles such as human dignity, equality, and the protection of legitimate expectations. This led to the issuance of new and important constitutional case law in Portugal, concerning mainly the assessment of legislative measures under the fundamental principles of legitimate expectations, proportionality, and ‘equal proportionality’.
PERCEPTION OF THE SOCIAL ENTERPRISE CONCEPT IS ANOTHER COMPONENT OF THE PROPOSED REFORM OF THE LEGAL FRAMEWORK OF LEGAL ENTITIES IN THE REPUBLIC OF KAZAKHSTAN
