In an interview with Lusa the minister, Mariana Vieira da Silva, said that the INE made the decision independent of the government, which she said wants to "fully respect" its autonomy.

The INE has opted not to include in the 2021 census a question about ethnic origin, as most members of a working group set up by the government had advocated. Instead, it announced, it would undertake a separate survey.

"Now it is about defining the next steps, a timetable, an object of study and that is what I am focussed on so that we can have the data we need, have policies to combat racism and discrimination, focussed on the problems we have," the minister said.

She said that she had already given the INE all assurances that the government would support its decision, and would ensure that it was in a position to carry out the separate survey as necessary, since the INE takes the view that the census is not the best way to measure whether there is discrimination based on ethnic origin.

Vieira da Silva stressed that it is now up to the government to "ensure the conditions for its implementation, namely financial and human resources, because they are surveys that are weighty from the point of view of their requirements".

Asked whether the conduct of this investigation and its results might be brought into question by the forthcoming parliamentary elections, she dismissed that, saying that "there is a very broad political consensus in this matter".

The governing Socialist Party, its parliamentary partner the Left Bloc, and the main opposition Social Democrats “at least”, she said, actively favour gathering such data.

According to Vieira da Silva, the survey would be "a very important step" in shaping "more effective policies in combatting discrimination" and inequality.

She acknowledged that the subject was "very controversial", both academically and scientifically, but also socially and politically, not only in Portugal but in many other countries, noting that the only European Union member state that collects this type of information is the UK.