Minister of Health Ana Paula Martins defended her record at the Social Democratic Party (Partido Social Democrata or PSD) congress, dismissing criticism regarding her popularity. She linked current healthcare pressures, including the number of patients without a family doctor, to rapid population growth and unregulated immigration. Martins emphasized that her focus remains on structural reform rather than public opinion polls.
Health Minister blames immigration for doctor shortages
Saturday, 20 June 2026AI summary
Context & Explainers
Ana Paula Martins is a Portuguese pharmacist and politician who has served as the Minister of Health in Portugal since April 2024. A member of the Social Democratic Party (PSD), she was reappointed to the position in the second government of Prime Minister Luís Montenegro in June 2025.
Professional Background
Pharmaceutical Leadership: She served as the President of the Order of Pharmacists (Bastonária da Ordem dos Farmacêuticos) from 2016 to 2022.
Hospital Management: She was the President of the Board of Directors of Hospital de Santa Maria (CHULN) in Lisbon from December 2022 to January 2024.
Academic Work: She holds a PhD in Clinical Pharmacy and has been an assistant professor at the Faculty of Pharmacy of the University of Lisbon for over 20 years.
Political Career
Government Role: As Minister of Health, she has overseen the implementation of the "SNS Emergency Plan" and recently addressed issues such as INEM staffing and public-private partnerships in healthcare.
Party Leadership: She served as Vice President of the PSD under Rui Rio (2021–2022).
Parliament: She was elected as a member of the Assembly of the Republic representing the Lisbon constituency in 2024.
- Leader: Luís Montenegro (Prime Minister)
- Ideology: Liberal conservatism, pro-Europeanism
- Coalition: Social Democratic Party (PSD) + CDS–People's Party (CDS-PP)
The Democratic Alliance (Aliança Democrática, AD) is a center-right coalition primarily composed of the Social Democratic Party (PSD) with 89 seats and the CDS–People's Party (CDS-PP) with 2 seats. Together, they form the current minority government under Prime Minister Luís Montenegro.
The PSD, despite its name, occupies the center-right of Portugal's political spectrum and has been one of Portugal's two dominant parties since 1974, having formed nine governments including four with absolute majorities. The CDS-PP is a smaller Christian democratic party that has historically been the PSD's coalition partner.
The AD coalition governs without a parliamentary majority, requiring case-by-case support from opposition parties to pass legislation. The coalition has imposed a cordon sanitaire against Chega, refusing formal cooperation with the far-right despite its parliamentary strength, which means it must negotiate with the PS or smaller parties to advance its legislative agenda.
5 sources
- Ana Paula Martins: "I am the least popular minister in this Government. But governing does not imply being popular, it implies being responsible"cnnportugal.iol.pt ·
- “I do not depend on barometers to please,” says Minister of Healtheco.sapo.pt ·
- Health Minister blames immigration networks for perception of failureexpresso.pt ·
- Ana Paula Martins admits to being the "least popular minister" but dismisses "commentators' barometers"dn.pt ·
- Minister blames immigration for the increase in people without a doctorobservador.pt ·
