A bill presented in Portugal intends to criminalize the practice known as "meter uma cunha," which consists of using personal contacts and relationships to obtain illegitimate benefits or preferential treatment. The proposal provides for prison sentences of up to three years for those who resort to this type of undue influence.
The legislative text is based on the assumption that, although cases of bribery are relatively rare in Portugal, the "cunha" is a practice deeply rooted in Portuguese society and is normalized in various everyday contexts.
The proponents of the proposal argue that this form of favoritism creates significant inequalities among citizens, since those who have contacts and networks of relationships have access to opportunities and services that are denied to those who do not have the same connections.
The initiative comes within the framework of a broader effort to reinforce transparency and equality of opportunity in the country, with the aim of removing "cunha" from the domain of social normalcy and making it a criminally punishable practice.
