Latest news and stories about government policy in Coimbra, Portugal for expats and residents.
The Open Presidency report for the Central region highlights the urgency of unblocking payments and removing woody debris in a context of heightened wildfire risk for the coming summer.
António José Seguro continues his Open Presidency in the Coimbra district, focusing on agricultural engagement and infrastructure visits following meetings in Tomar.
In Coimbra, local authorities have evacuated three thousand residents due to the imminent risk of dyke collapse, as persistent rain is expected in the North and Centre regions of Portugal. This article provides real-time updates on the weather conditions affecting the area.
At a campaign dinner in Lousã (Coimbra), presidential candidate Luís Marques Mendes presented a deliberate profile of a ‘firm but calm’ Presidency in Belém, arguing that steadiness and measured leadership are what the office requires. Positioning himself as a reassuring, experienced alternative, Mendes signalled an appeal to centrist and undecided voters and claimed he is in ‘pole position’ to reach the second round — an implicit campaign strategy to consolidate support ahead of a likely two‑stage contest. The remarks underscore a campaign focused on stability, competence and broadening appeal rather than polarising rhetoric.
Following the promises made by the Government in the wake of the severe storms that hit the Central region at the beginning of the year, farmers in the Mondego Valley complain that the aid announced in recent months has yet to arrive.
The Government's proposal, which aims to authorise the executive to create the single social benefit, moved to the committee stage this Friday without a general vote.
PS militants, including the veteran António Campos, asked the Socialist secretary-general today to suspend the elections for the Coimbra federation, denouncing a “violation of the statutes”, “massive payment of dues”, “activation of vote-buying syndicates”, and invalid electoral rolls.
The Secretary-General of the Socialist Party (PS) is being challenged to postpone the elections for the party's local structures. At issue is an alleged scheme of improper payment of membership fees to gather votes in the Coimbra district. The complaint is made by António Campos, PS member number 3, who directly accuses a member of José Luís Carneiro's leadership team.
Municipalities in the Coimbra region submitted 37 applications for temporary housing units, 20 of which are already completed but remain closed while awaiting the signing of a protocol with Social Security. The investment involved is approximately ten million euros. Municipalities applied to rehabilitate houses to accommodate families.
The government will launch an international public tender worth three million euros on Tuesday to ensure the daily distribution of printed newspapers in low-density territories over the next three years.
The Coimbra City Council is grappling with further issues in the transport sector: the sustainability of the metrobus and the decline in passenger numbers on the SMTUC.
The president of CIMRL therefore welcomes the document released today. Also, tomorrow is the day of the Cup final between Sporting and Torrense, and Rui Borges asks for caution regarding premature celebrations.
The PS leader, José Luís Carneiro, stated today that the Government harmed the country by leaving the SIRESP communications system without a president for two years, only to then reappoint Viegas Nunes.
This is stated in a report resulting from the open presidency week that António José Seguro conducted in the central region.
The Minister of Internal Administration said he is “very satisfied with the progress made so far”, but warned that not everything is resolved. “It will take years, but we will make this paradigm shift”.
Luís Neves highlighted that the safest territories are those where there is continuous prevention, active management, and early intervention capacity.
Ribau Esteves also defended the idea that, in Portugal, the fire business must become less important than the forestry business.
Paulo Macedo also states it is “fundamental” to increase the number of mandatory insurance policies to improve preparedness for calamity situations.
An analysis of political reforms, parliamentary majorities, and the metaphorical 'Portugal of the little ones', referring to a miniature park in Coimbra often used to describe the country's small-scale political or social outlook.
The technical report prepared by the Order of Engineers regarding the Mondego floods and future measures advocates for the creation of a public company to manage that river basin, an option rejected by the Minister of Environment.
A technical report presented proposes 10 recommendations, including new construction works and dredging. Maria da Graça Carvalho prefers a co-management model involving the APA, local authorities, and Civil Protection.
The party's secretary-general spoke to journalists in Coimbra. Furthermore, IL says the party is clarified regarding the United States of America's use of the Lajes base.
The Mayor of Coimbra revealed herself to be “deeply committed to the co-management of critical infrastructure for the Lower Mondego”.
According to the Secretary of State, there are “various distinct situations” within the application of this land management and planning instrument, funded by the Recovery and Resilience Plan.
The Secretary-General of the Socialist Party spoke to journalists on the sidelines of a visit to the Oliva Vocational School, in the municipality of Oliveira do Hospital.
Hermes Costa, a professor at the University of Coimbra, believes that the way the Government has handled the negotiation process “weakens it more than it does the unions”.
The Constitution is not a dead artefact or a document to be archived in a museum display case. It is alive, and it is precisely this vitality that makes it indispensable. At a time when hasty rhetoric about its replacement or exhaustion is multiplying, it is important to reaffirm the essential: the Constitution of the Portuguese Republic remains one of the most solid pillars of our democracy. Pedro Costa Gonçalves, Director of the Faculty of Law at the University of Coimbra, notes that recent commemorations of the 50th anniversary of the Constitution highlighted that while it can and should be revised, it must not be discarded. There is a crucial difference between updating and replacing, or between perfecting and dismantling. Recognizing the need for specific revisions reinforces the Constitution, which has demonstrated a remarkable capacity for adaptation over five decades. The Faculty of Law of Coimbra marked the occasion with a two-volume collective work reflecting on the past, present, and future of the Fundamental Law, serving as a reminder that the Constitution remains an object of study and commitment. Ultimately, a solid democracy is not built from a void, but on the foundations it has managed to erect and preserve.
Aguiar-Branco highlighted the contribution of the Coimbra school to the pluralism of debate, but warned that “democracy cannot be taken for granted,” during a session commemorating the institution's 50th anniversary.
Aguiar-Branco was speaking at the closing of the opening session of the conference 'The Coimbra Faculty of Law and the Constitution'.
According to the mayor, this is a 7.2 million euro project that a small municipality in the interior of the Coimbra district would not have the capacity to undertake with its own budget.
