Friday, 7 August 2026

Political and institutional pressure on the Minister of Internal Administration, Luís Neves, is intensifying following the announcement of an audit into the Judiciary Police (Polícia Judiciária or PJ) ordered by the Minister of Justice, Rita Alarcão Júdice. The investigation, alongside proceedings at the Court of Auditors (Tribunal de Contas), addresses alleged financial irregularities and potential conflicts of interest during Neves's tenure as national director of the PJ. The opposition party Chega has accused Prime Minister Luís Montenegro of losing control of the situation and has called for the minister's resignation.

The Ricardo Jorge National Institute of Health (Instituto Nacional de Saúde Doutor Ricardo Jorge or INSA) reported 680 excess deaths in Portugal during three periods this summer. The highest mortality spike occurred between July 2 and July 8, coinciding with an extreme heatwave that health authorities say aggravated pre-existing conditions, particularly among those aged 75 and older. Separately, data shows that road mortality has remained stagnant over the last decade, with 589 road deaths recorded in 2025.

President of the Republic António José Seguro has urged for the continuity of public policies across different government administrations to ensure national stability. Speaking at the São Mateus Fair in Viseu, he cited the tourism sector as a successful example of how long-term consistency benefits the country. Seguro emphasized that despite political changes, maintaining stable strategies remains a priority for national development.

The government led by Prime Minister Luís Montenegro has decided not to require companies to disclose salary offers directly in job advertisements. While the European directive on pay transparency allowed for such a requirement, the upcoming national transposition will not include this provision. The government is instead focusing on strengthening sanctions for companies that maintain wage inequalities.

The Portuguese government has approved the 2026-2030 Development and Investment Plan for the National High and Medium Voltage Electricity Distribution Network (Plano de Desenvolvimento e Investimento da Rede Nacional de Distribuição de Electricidade em Alta Tensão e Média Tensão or PDIRD-E). This 1.58 billion euro project aims to improve grid resilience and reliability following recent storm damage and blackouts. The investment also supports the energy transition and the integration of renewable energy sources into the national grid.

The investment firm Apollo Global Management has reached an agreement to acquire the European low-cost airline EasyJet for approximately 6.6 billion euros. The deal follows the withdrawal of the competing bidder, Castlelake, which exited the process without providing a formal reason. This acquisition concludes months of uncertainty for the airline as the aviation sector navigates rising fuel costs.

A report by the real estate consultancy CBRE reveals that existing public and private student residences in Portugal provide housing for only 12% of displaced and international students. With approximately 28,000 beds available for a population of over 227,000 students, the country faces a structural deficit of 119,000 beds. This shortage continues to impact the accessibility of higher education for students living away from home.

The Coimbra Local Health Unit (Unidade Local de Saúde or ULS) has successfully performed the first robot-assisted endoscopic ear surgery in Portugal. The procedure demonstrates high safety and precision, marking a significant advancement in surgical innovation for the national health system. The ULS of Coimbra is also noted for its capacity to work with all available models of cochlear implant electrodes.

More than 11,800 young people between the ages of 12 and 35 have requested government-funded psychologist and nutritionist vouchers in the first month since the program's expansion. The initiative, managed by the Portuguese Institute of Sport and Youth (Instituto Português do Desporto e Juventude or IPDJ), aims to provide free mental health and nutritional support to a broader age demographic. Most applicants have already received their vouchers for the consultations.

Prime Minister Luís Montenegro stated that Portugal is moving away from an open-door immigration policy in favor of a model focused on the integration of qualified workers. Montenegro emphasized that the government aims to ensure migrants have access to housing, healthcare, and employment, while criticizing policies that create pull factors for irregular migration. The government maintains that the country remains receptive to those who come to work, noting that unemployment is currently at record lows.

Starting August 10, retailers in Portugal are prohibited from selling single-use beverage containers that are not part of the national deposit return system known as Volta. Consumers will pay an additional 0.10 euro deposit per eligible plastic bottle or metal can, which can be reclaimed upon returning the packaging. Some restaurants have criticized the system, with some establishments opting to switch to glass bottles to avoid the new requirements.