A recent circular from the Tax and Customs Authority clarifies that temporary workers impact companies' eligibility for a tax incentive aimed at salary enhancement, despite not being able to benefit from the incentive themselves. This follows changes in the State Budget for 2025.
In 2023, Portugal ranks among the EU countries with the lowest purchasing power, with its average annual income allowing for the purchase of only 11 baskets of essential goods, significantly less than the 24 baskets that can be afforded by an average Luxembourger. This disparity highlights the economic challenges faced by Portuguese residents, particularly in the context of rising housing costs.
BCP has invested 90 million euros into Activobank to enhance its digital banking growth. The investment comes as Activobank's loan portfolio has more than doubled and profits have increased by 25% over the past year, positioning it as a key growth driver for BCP.
The Directorate-General of Health (DGS) has acknowledged the existence of excess mortality linked to delays in heart surgery, yet claims it lacks the authority to initiate investigations into the matter. RTP journalist Paula Rebelo delves into the implications of this situation.
A patient was denied an appointment with their family doctor due to arriving one minute late, as communicated by a secretary at the health centre. This incident raises questions about patient rights and the flexibility of healthcare services.
This article discusses the necessity for nursing education, research, and health service organization to adapt to the multicultural realities of society. It emphasizes the importance of aligning these aspects with the diverse needs of patients to improve healthcare outcomes.
Portugal has experienced significant increases in house prices since 2020, according to data from Pordata. Despite this rise, the country still ranks among those with the lowest purchasing power, with only Greece having higher housing costs relative to income.
A recent study highlights the persistent regional inequalities affecting students from rural areas in accessing higher education in Portugal. Distance is identified as a significant barrier, particularly for those with fewer resources. The research, conducted by the Reflection Centre of the Belmiro de Azevedo Foundation, reveals that students from metropolitan areas are more sensitive to distance due to the availability of nearby institutions, while rural students face relocation regardless of distance. Recommendations include differentiated mobility support, scholarships for travel and accommodation, and strengthening higher education in rural areas to connect with local economies. The study emphasizes the need for a coherent territorial strategy to address these inequalities and support students effectively.
The Assembly of the Republic is considering postponing the elections for the Ombudsman, five members of the Council of State, and three judges of the Constitutional Court, originally scheduled for this Friday, to 6 March. This request for postponement has been initiated by the Chega party and is expected to receive support from the PSD party, provided that no other parties oppose the decision.
The article critiques Carlos Moedas for his political maneuvers, particularly his secretive agreement with the far-right party Chega, which contradicts his public image as a reformist. It highlights the lack of transparency in his dealings and the implications for his governance in Lisbon, emphasizing that he can no longer blame external factors for inaction. The piece calls for Moedas to focus on effective governance rather than personal political ambitions, as he now holds a majority that was not directly granted by the electorate.
Approximately 1,800 customers of E-Redes in areas affected by storm Kristin remained without electricity as of 5:00 PM on February 22. The EDP group company stated it is focused on restoring electricity supply. Earlier, 4,500 customers were reported without power. The storms have caused significant damage, resulting in 18 fatalities and affecting 90,000 students due to school closures. The Central, Lisbon and Tagus Valley, and Alentejo regions were the most impacted, with estimated damages in Seixal around 15 million euros.
Luís Neves has been appointed as the Minister of Internal Administration, succeeding Luís Montenegro. With a background as the National Director of the Judiciary Police, Neves faces significant challenges, including improving police working conditions, reforming the Civil Protection system, and managing border control amid corruption investigations. His appointment is seen as a strategic move by Prime Minister Luís Montenegro, aiming to shift away from the security rhetoric associated with Chega, particularly on immigration. Neves is expected to bring his operational expertise to the ministry, focusing on effective communication and collaboration among various agencies. However, he faces high expectations that may prove challenging to meet in a role marked by political tensions and public scrutiny.
Luís Neves took office at the Interior Ministry as parliament signalled key institutional elections could slip to March, adding uncertainty to the political calendar. Meanwhile storm-hit areas still face significant power cuts, even as a temporary repair to the Mondego dyke eases immediate flood risk. Wider pressures persist for residents: Portugal’s post‑2020 house-price surge, lagging university access for rural low‑income students, and pay rising to €1,694 while productivity trails.
The Assembly of the Republic (Assembleia da República) is set to consider postponing votes for the Ombudsman (Provedor de Justiça), five Council of State (Conselho de Estado) members and three judges for the Constitutional Court (Tribunal Constitucional) to 6 March, RTP reports. Correio da Manhã says Chega requested the delay and PSD has agreed; for the postponement to pass none of the parties in the Assembly may oppose. The move could shift the calendar for institutional appointments ahead of local and national contests. Voters and party members should follow party statements and the Assembly schedule.
Update: Aguiar‑Branco confirms postponement to 6 March
José Pedro Aguiar‑Branco, President of the Assembly of the Republic, told journalists the vote is now scheduled for 6 March and said he hopes this will be the last postponement after parties reached a consensus to delay the elections for these posts.
The Assembleia da República (Assembly of the Republic) is Portugal's unicameral parliament, made up of 230 deputies elected every four years, responsible for making laws and overseeing the government. Quercus sent its letter to the government and the Assembly to push lawmakers to consider banning non‑biodegradable wet wipes and to create a biodegradable labelling rule.
Chega ("Enough") is a Portuguese far-right populist party founded in 2019 by André Ventura. It positions itself as an anti-establishment movement against what it calls a "rotten and corrupt system" of PS-PSD dominance. The party surged from 1.3% in 2019 to 22.8% in May 2025, becoming parliament's second-largest force with 60 seats. Chega's core platform emphasizes strict immigration control—ending automatic CPLP residency, deporting non-independent immigrants, implementing job-market quotas, and requiring five-year social security contributions before benefit access. It advocates radical constitutional reform, including reducing parliament to 100 members, abolishing the prime minister position for a presidential system, and dismantling public healthcare. Law-and-order policies include life imprisonment and chemical castration proposals.
The party is defined by inflammatory anti-Romani rhetoric, with Ventura convicted multiple times for discrimination. Chega maintains international alignments with European far-right figures including Marine Le Pen, Santiago Abascal, and Matteo Salvini. Mainstream Portuguese parties, including Prime Minister Luís Montenegro's government, have imposed a cordon sanitaire, refusing coalition with Chega despite its parliamentary strength.
The Council of State (Conselho de Estado) is a constitutionally established advisory body that the President consults on major acts, such as dissolving parliament or declaring exceptional states. Five of its members are elected by the Assembly of the Republic, so a delay in those Assembly votes postpones the council’s full composition and can affect which voices formally advise the President.
Pedro Passos Coelho is a Portuguese politician who served as Prime Minister from 2011 to 2015 and led the Social Democratic Party (Partido Social Democrata or PSD). His choice to stay silent during the presidential run-off matters because, as a former PM and centre‑right leader, his endorsements or comments could influence PSD voters ahead of the 8 February vote.
Francisco Sá Carneiro was a Portuguese politician who co‑founded the Social Democratic Party (Social Democratic Party (Partido Social Democrata or PSD) in 1974 and served as prime minister in 1980. He died in a plane crash on 4 December 1980; his name is widely recognised in Portugal and is used for Porto’s main airport, which expats commonly encounter when travelling.
The Assembly of the Republic (Assembleia da República) is Portugal’s unicameral parliament of 230 deputies elected for four‑year terms; it makes laws, approves the budget and oversees the government.
José Pedro Aguiar‑Branco is the President of the Assembly of the Republic, who in this story requested that the Committee on Constitutional Affairs examine the constitutional conformity of government measures in a proposed bill. He is using his parliamentary role to trigger a formal review of changes affecting confession rules and the rights of the defence.
Rui Rio is a centre‑right politician who served as mayor of Porto from 2002 to 2013 and led the Social Democratic Party (Partido Social Democrata) from 2018 to 2022. Known for moderate and fiscally cautious positions, he remains an influential voice in PSD debates and national politics, so journalists and party members often cite his views.
Maria da Graça Carvalho, the Energy Minister, is a Portuguese engineer and politician affiliated with the Social Democratic Party (PSD) who has served as a Member of the European Parliament and held government roles connected to science and higher education policy. Her work on research and EU policy can affect funding and regulation that matter to professionals and students living in Portugal.
The Social Democratic Party ('Partido Social Democrata' or 'PSD') is a liberal-conservative political party in Portugal that is the leading partner of the The Democratic Alliance (AD) which is the country's ruling party, with Prime Minister Luís Montenegro.
The Social Democratic Party, despite its name, occupies the centre-right of Portugal's political spectrum. Luís Montenegro, who became Prime Minister in April 2024, leads Portugal's current minority government. The PSD has been one of Portugal's two dominant parties since 1974, having formed nine governments including four with absolute majorities. Montenegro, a former party leader from 1996-1999, was elected with the highest approval rating among party leaders at 10.7 points out of 20.
The Democratic Alliance is a centre-right coalition that includes the smaller CDS – People's Party, a Christian democratic party that has historically been the PSD's coalition partner. Together, they govern without a parliamentary majority, requiring case-by-case support from opposition parties to pass legislation.
A study from the Reflection Centre of the Belmiro de Azevedo Foundation, Edulog, finds students from rural areas and low‑resource backgrounds remain the most disadvantaged when accessing higher education, with distance and costs cited among key barriers, Dinheiro Vivo reports. The research examines regional inequalities and student mobility over the past decade and flags persistent gaps despite policy efforts. Families and students planning higher‑education paths should consider distance, transport and financial support options early. What is the Belmiro de Azevedo Foundation? and What is Edulog? (see explainers).
The Belmiro de Azevedo Foundation (Fundação Belmiro de Azevedo) is a private philanthropic foundation set up by the family of businessman Belmiro de Azevedo to fund education, research and social projects. It also commissions studies on higher education access and mobility, so its research is often used by universities and policymakers when planning scholarships and regional support.
The Directorate-General of Health (Direção-Geral da Saúde) knew there was excess mortality linked to prolonged waits for heart surgery but says it lacks authority to open formal inquiries, RTP reports. The report raises questions about oversight of long surgical waits and accountability inside the public health system. Those relying on public care should monitor local hospital waiting‑list communications and any formal investigations by regional health units. SNS patients should be aware of delays affecting time‑sensitive treatments.
The Directorate-General for Health (Direção-Geral da Saúde) is Portugal’s national public health authority that issues guidance on disease control, health alerts and safety of food and water. After Storm Kristin it advised boiling or using bottled water if contamination is suspected, discarding food exposed to floodwater and keeping good hygiene when cleaning affected areas, guidance that residents and recovery workers should follow.
The Alfredo da Costa Maternity Hospital (Maternidade Alfredo da Costa) is Lisbon’s main public maternity centre and the busiest maternity within Portugal’s SNS (Serviço Nacional de Saúde). For residents and expectant parents it is a key referral hospital for high‑risk pregnancies and neonatal care and often handles more births and complex cases than other public units.
The ERS is the Health Regulatory Authority (Entidade Reguladora da Saúde), an independent regulator that oversees quality, access and compliance for public and private health providers in Portugal. Its warnings matter because they can trigger inspections or corrective measures, inform patients about service shortfalls and influence how the SNS (Serviço Nacional de Saúde) and private hospitals manage waiting lists for diagnostic tests.
An Unidade de Saúde Familiar (family health unit) is a multidisciplinary primary-care clinic within Portugal's National Health Service (Serviço Nacional de Saúde or SNS) where GPs, nurses and other staff keep registered patient lists and provide routine care, appointments and specialist referrals. For residents and expats, being registered with a family health unit gives you a regular GP, easier access to prescriptions and referrals, and a clear route into the public health system.
Defendants in case 1143 have told courts that Chega MP Rui Afonso registered dozens of members of a neo‑Nazi group, paid their party fees for months and gave them money to vote, Expresso and other outlets report. The MP denies the accusations, called them an anathema and has requested an internal party inquiry; sources note the Judicial Police (PJ) dismantled the group on January 20. The allegations could affect Chega's internal discipline and voter trust in the run‑up to local and national contests. Voters and party members should follow the court process and party statements.
Rui Afonso is a Chega Member of Parliament who was named in testimony in case 1143 as having registered dozens of group members in the party, paid their membership fees for months, and given them money to vote. The allegation ties him to activity around the Santo Tirso branch of a neo‑Nazi organisation and is part of an ongoing court process.
The Public Prosecutor's Office (Ministério Público) is the independent body that leads criminal investigations and represents the state in court. It gets involved in cases like a long-delayed INEM response because it can order autopsies, investigate potential criminal negligence or procedural failures, and decide whether to bring charges or recommend disciplinary action.
The Judicial Police (Polícia Judiciária) is Portugal’s national criminal investigation force that handles serious crimes such as homicide, organised crime, corruption and major fraud. It conducts criminal inquiries alongside prosecutors, so if you are involved in or affected by a serious criminal case in Portugal the PJ leads investigative work and consular assistance may be helpful.
The Public Prosecutor’s Office (Ministério Público) is Portugal’s state prosecution service responsible for investigating crimes, bringing criminal charges and representing the state in court; it is institutionally independent from the police and is led by the Procurador‑Geral da República (Attorney General). In the story it is the body accusing two officers, so residents and those interacting with law enforcement should know that criminal allegations are pursued and prosecuted by this office.
Chega ("Enough") is a Portuguese far-right populist party founded in 2019 by André Ventura. It positions itself as an anti-establishment movement against what it calls a "rotten and corrupt system" of PS-PSD dominance. The party surged from 1.3% in 2019 to 22.8% in May 2025, becoming parliament's second-largest force with 60 seats. Chega's core platform emphasizes strict immigration control—ending automatic CPLP residency, deporting non-independent immigrants, implementing job-market quotas, and requiring five-year social security contributions before benefit access. It advocates radical constitutional reform, including reducing parliament to 100 members, abolishing the prime minister position for a presidential system, and dismantling public healthcare. Law-and-order policies include life imprisonment and chemical castration proposals.
The party is defined by inflammatory anti-Romani rhetoric, with Ventura convicted multiple times for discrimination. Chega maintains international alignments with European far-right figures including Marine Le Pen, Santiago Abascal, and Matteo Salvini. Mainstream Portuguese parties, including Prime Minister Luís Montenegro's government, have imposed a cordon sanitaire, refusing coalition with Chega despite its parliamentary strength.
The average gross monthly remuneration rose 5.6% in 2025 to €1,694, an increase of €39 and 0.9 percentage points above the targets in the Tripartite Agreement on Salary Enhancement and Economic Growth 2025-2028, Diário de Notícias reports. The government says wages have risen 'above expectations' but productivity per hour remains weak — about 28% below the EU average — a point underlined by CNN Portugal. Workers and employers should watch how wage growth and low productivity affect hiring, prices and competitiveness.
The Tripartite Agreement on Salary Enhancement and Economic Growth 2025–2028 is a three‑party pact between the government, employers and trade unions that sets numerical targets for wage increases and economic growth over 2025–2028. The Ministry used those targets to judge performance — for example, average gross monthly pay reached €1,694 in 2025, about 0.9 percentage points above the agreement's target.
Portugal's productivity per hour worked is below the EU average; around 2022 Portugal was roughly 70–75% of the EU27 average for GDP per hour worked, while Germany was about 120–125%, France about 105–110% and the UK about 110–115%. That gap helps explain why Portugal's average wages (€1,694 gross monthly in 2025) remain lower than in many Western European countries.
Hungary announced it will block the EU's 20th package of sanctions against Russia after an interruption in Russian oil deliveries through the Druzhba pipeline, RTP, Expresso and Diário de Notícias report. Hungarian Foreign Minister Peter Szijjarto said Hungary will not allow the adoption of decisions important for Ukraine while oil supplies remain cut, and a Foreign Ministers' Council meeting is scheduled to vote. The move could slow EU coordination on Russia policy; those following EU foreign affairs should watch for developments ahead of the council meeting.
Peter Szijjarto is Hungary's Foreign Minister, and a senior member of the Fidesz party; he has served as Minister of Foreign Affairs and Trade since 2014. On 22 February he announced Hungary would block the EU's 20th package of sanctions against Russia because of interruptions to Druzhba pipeline oil deliveries.
The Foreign Ministers' Council refers to the Council of the European Union when foreign ministers meet (the Foreign Affairs Council) to coordinate EU foreign policy and approve measures like sanctions. Decisions on sanctions under the EU's Common Foreign and Security Policy normally require unanimity, so any single member state can block adoption.
Authorities say the intervention on the Casais dyke on the Mondego River has provisionally restored watertightness, stopping water passing from the riverbed to adjacent fields and allowing drainage of flooded land, Público and RTP report. The repair is described as temporary and aimed at stabilising the area near Coimbra and the A1 motorway while longer repairs are planned. Residents and drivers near Coimbra should note reduced immediate flood risk but follow municipal updates on road access and land clearance.
The Mondego River is the longest river entirely within Portugal, about 234 km long, rising in the Serra da Estrela and flowing west through Coimbra to the Atlantic at Figueira da Foz. Rising Mondego levels often cause floods in Coimbra and downstream towns, so people in the river basin should monitor alerts and avoid riverside areas during heavy rain.
A dyke is a built embankment or wall that holds back water from a river, sea or lake to protect land and property. In flood or irrigation operations, fixing a dyke's watertightness stops water passing into adjacent fields and lets crews pump or drain still-flooded areas to return land to use.
The Labour minister (ministra do Trabalho) said the government wants to move from a model focused only on tax incentives toward one that ties incentives to real productivity gains, RTP reports. The statement frames upcoming tax policy discussions rather than announcing concrete changes; employers and workers should watch for detailed proposals that could affect corporate tax treatments or employment incentives.
Residents of Alcácer do Sal have recounted distress from recent floods as authorities install housing blocks for displaced people, Correio da Manhã reports. Local services are providing temporary accommodation while recovery and damage assessments continue. Those in the affected area should contact the municipality for assistance and check insurance or emergency support options.
Correio da Manhã reports that elderly women were slapped at an unlicensed care home in Maia, prompting police attention and public concern. The facility is described as operating without proper licensing; social services or criminal investigators may become involved as the case progresses. Relatives and those seeking private care should verify licences and report suspected abuse to local authorities.
Update: Owner faces trial for elderly mistreatment
Correio da Manhã now reports the owner of the illegal Maia care home has been brought before the courts on charges of mistreating residents. The case moves from investigation to prosecution and may lead to criminal hearings; families of residents and prospective private‑care clients should monitor legal outcomes but do not need new immediate action beyond verifying licences.
A Portugal Resident guide notes that how you structure assets while resident in Portugal can change your tax position, who inherits them and the taxes your estate pays. The article recommends reviewing account ownership, beneficiary designations and where funds are held, because small changes can shift tax treatment. Residents with significant portfolios should get tailored advice from a Portuguese tax adviser.
