President of the Republic appoints Susana Goulart Costa and Paulo Barreto Ferreira as Republic Representatives in the Azores and Madeira

Wednesday, 15 April 2026RSS
President of the Republic appoints Susana Goulart Costa and Paulo Barreto Ferreira as Republic Representatives in the Azores and Madeira

The President of the Republic, António José Seguro, has appointed university professor Susana Goulart Costa and appellate judge Paulo Duarte Barreto Ferreira as the Republic's representatives for the autonomous regions of the Azores and Madeira, respectively. Susana Goulart Costa, a native of Angra do Heroísmo, will be the first woman to hold this position. Paulo Duarte Barreto Ferreira, from Funchal, is currently a judge at the Lisbon Court of Appeal. These appointments were announced on Wednesday, April 15, via the official website of the Presidency of the Republic.

Context & Explainers

António José Seguro
  • President of Portugal (since March 9, 2026)
  • Party: Independent. Former leader of the Socialist Party (PS), Partido Socialista
  • Center-left

António José Martins Seguro (born March 11, 1962, in Penamacor) is a lawyer, political scientist, and the current President of the Portuguese Republic, inaugurated on March 9, 2026 after winning the two-round presidential election in January–February 2026.

Career: He led Socialist Youth (1990–1994), served as MEP (1999–2001), was Minister Adjunct to PM António Guterres (2001–2002), and led the PS parliamentary group (2004–2005). Elected PS Secretary-General in 2011 with 68%, he led the opposition during Portugal's bailout era. In 2014, António Costa defeated him in party primaries by a landslide, prompting Seguro's resignation and a decade-long retreat from politics. He returned in 2025, launching the movement UPortugal and announcing his presidential candidacy in June. He received official PS backing in October 2025 and won the presidency in February 2026.

Political philosophy: Seguro positions himself as representing a "modern and moderate" left, advocating financial responsibility while opposing austerity. As President, he has emphasized institutional trust, efficient governance, and a collaborative relationship with the government while maintaining rigorous constitutional oversight.

AI Summary AvailablePresident appoints new Republic representatives for Azores and MadeiraRead the synthesized summary with context and explainers
View full article on dn.pt

RSS source