Depression Kristin has left roads impassable and thousands of homes without electricity and water. The Government has declared a state of calamity for 60 municipalities as Civil Protection warns of continued flood risk in the coming days. This minute-by-minute report tracks the evolving weather conditions in Portugal and the emergency response, including infrastructure impacts, mobilised resources and short-term forecasts guiding recovery decisions.

The Government approved a decree‑law on Thursday, announced by António Leitão Amaro, allowing higher education institutions to require only one entrance exam. The change reverses a Socialist government decision that had forced students to sit at least two admission tests and restores the system that was in force until 2024. The move increases institutional autonomy over selection criteria and could affect comparability of admissions outcomes across institutions; it is presented as a regulatory rollback rather than an expansion of student protections. (A separate note in the original text observes a concern that the Peace Council could become similar to the UN Security Council.)

The PSD delegation in the European Parliament has formally asked the European Commission which existing and potential instruments it can activate to assist areas of Portugal hit by Storm Kristin. PSD MEPs warned that material damage may be 'incalculable' and that conditions on the ground are worse than international reports indicate; President von der Leyen has pledged swift assistance. The delegation urged the Portuguese Government to be present in affected areas — to repair, care and listen — and called for a planned, not improvised, State response to the emergency.

Admiral Gouveia e Melo, who finished fourth in the first round of Portugal’s presidential election, announced he will cast a tactical (‘useful’) vote for António José Seguro in the run-off. Framing the decision as a contribution to a ‘conscious and informed choice’ for the Portuguese who supported him as an independent, he praised Seguro’s moderation, lack of a party-driven agenda and apparent unwillingness to instrumentalise the presidency. The move is presented as strategic rather than partisan, aimed at influencing the final outcome in favour of stability and non‑partisan leadership.

This analytical piece compares the positions of presidential candidates Fernando Seguro and André Ventura across seven key areas — from the economy and public safety to defence and foreign policy — highlighting how their different approaches would shape the role of the President in Belém. It argues that the next President will remain central to Portuguese political life through veto powers, constitutional defence, international representation and command of the armed forces, and suggests that courage, more than left‑or‑right alignment, is the decisive quality for voters to weigh in this campaign.

With ten days until the presidential second round, a government-declared state of calamity has become central to the campaign, constraining campaigning and reframing public debate around emergency management, services and state capacity. The development exposes political faultlines — including the right's recurring mistake of underestimating left-wing incumbents — and underscores how a recent state blackout left communities to fend for themselves, highlighting the fragility of public institutions. The emergency framing is likely to influence voter perceptions of safety, governance and policy ahead of the run-off.

The televised debate between Seguro and André Ventura was the second most-watched programme in over a year, reflecting intense public interest as the presidential campaign enters its final phase. First-round abstention fell to 47.65% — the lowest since 2006 and down sharply from 60.76% in 2021 — a sign of renewed voter mobilisation. Both participants claimed victory after the debate; Ventura adopted a visibly more moderate tone but sometimes appeared unprepared, a stance that could cool support among his populist base. The combination of high viewership and shifting candidate strategies may shape turnout and campaign tactics ahead of the next round.

Criminal investigation unit PJ has arrested one suspect in the fatal shooting of a teenager in Amadora, amid a worrying pattern of violence in the municipality where six people have already been shot since the start of the year. The arrest highlights active police work but also raises analytical questions about underlying causes, public safety strategies and whether current policing and community interventions are sufficient to prevent further violent crime. Authorities say the inquiry continues as they seek to establish motive, possible links to other incidents and measures to restore public confidence.

At 03:23 an explosion at a building under construction in Algés damaged nearby vehicles and neighbouring homes. The cause has not yet been established and authorities are investigating; emergency services responded to secure the site and assess injuries and structural risks. Analytically, investigators will likely examine sources such as gas leaks, construction materials or workmanship failures, while officials must prioritise resident safety, site stabilization and a transparent inquiry into regulatory compliance.

Launched at the end of June, the Mare Nostrum Global Equities fund — managed by Leonardo Mathias — has rapidly grown to €70m in assets under management, double its level six months earlier. The team credits a proprietary algorithm for the early traction and is targeting an ambitious €1bn AUM, signalling a clear growth and scale-up strategy. Key analytical angles include the fund’s early performance momentum, the scalability and robustness of its quantitative approach, fundraising and distribution challenges needed to reach €1bn, and the market and regulatory risks that could affect that trajectory.