Eight Portuguese MEPs from the Socialists and Democrats group have asked the European Commission what measures it has taken to implement Parliament's December 2025 resolution calling for targeted sanctions and the release of political prisoners in Guinea-Bissau, following the 10 July 2026 arrest of opposition leader Domingos Simões Pereira. The MEPs accuse former president Umaro Sissoco Embaló of staging a coup via a military junta to overturn the 2023 election results, and warn that a 30 August 2026 referendum on a new constitution and electoral law could allow Embaló's return.
The parliamentary question, submitted on 15 July 2026, cites the 18 December 2025 European Parliament resolution that demanded an immediate review of bilateral agreements, the release of opponents, and targeted sanctions against those responsible for the democratic breakdown. The MEPs ask what the EU has done so far and what urgent measures it will take to restore constitutional order and secure the immediate release of Simões Pereira and other political prisoners. The question does not set specific numerical targets or deadlines but urges concrete action. The Commission typically has six weeks to reply, and its answer will signal the EU's policy direction on the crisis in Guinea-Bissau.