Álvaro Santos Pereira, Governor of the Bank of Portugal (BdP), stated that Mário Centeno's early retirement followed all established rules and was a mutual agreement. The Governor also announced that savings from the departure of administration consultants will be redirected towards maternity and paternity support measures, and clarified that the Bank of Portugal cannot set limits on bank fees, as this is a legislative responsibility.
Governor of the Bank of Portugal guarantees that Centeno's retirement 'was a mutual agreement, there was no dismissal or favouritism'
Wednesday, 1 April 2026RSS
Context & Explainers
The Public Administration (Administração Pública) is Portugal's central, regional and local government bodies and the public-sector workforce that deliver services like healthcare, education and municipal functions. A pay rise announced on 20 February 2026 raised the state's base public-sector salary to €934.99 with retroactive payments back to January 2026, so employees and those who contract with state bodies should expect updated payrolls and potential budget effects.
