Latest news and stories about foreign policy in europe in Portugal for expats and residents.
Portugal is among 12 countries that have announced plans to introduce national restrictions and support European measures limiting trade with Israeli settlements in the West Bank. The joint statement, which includes nations like France, Spain, and the UK, cites rising settler violence and settlement expansion as the primary reasons for the move.
Minister of National Defence Nuno Melo stated that while the United States remains a fundamental ally in NATO, Europe must strengthen its own defense capabilities. This sentiment aligns with recent calls from President Marcelo Rebelo de Sousa for greater European strategic autonomy and institutional reform.
Nuno Melo is the leader of CDS-PP (Centro Democrático e Social – Partido Popular), a Christian democratic party on Portugal’s centre-right, and Minister of National Defence in Luís Montenegro’s government, where CDS-PP governs in coalition with the PSD. He was previously a Member of the European Parliament.
Electoral Mandate and Democratic Consensus:
Marcelo Rebelo de Sousa was elected President of Portugal on January 24, 2016, winning 52.0% of the vote in the first round—a decisive victory in a fragmented field. He campaigned as an independent, positioning himself as a unifying figure after years of austerity from Portugal's 2011–14 bailout, promising to repair political divisions and restore national confidence. His campaign emphasized moderation and cross-party consensus, a departure from his decades-long association with the center-right Social Democratic Party (PSD). Upon taking office on March 9, 2016, he suspended his party membership for the duration of his presidency.
His 2021 re-election proved extraordinary: Rebelo de Sousa secured 60.7% of the vote—the third-highest margin in Portuguese presidential electoral history since the 1974 Carnation Revolution. Historically, he became the first candidate ever to win in all 308 municipalities and the vast majority of parishes, ranging from 51.3% in Beja District to 72.16% in Madeira. This unprecedented sweep reflected his broad appeal across social, geographic, and ideological divides.
Constitutional Role and Crisis Leadership:
Portugal operates as a semi-presidential system where the president, while largely ceremonial, exercises meaningful influence over national security, foreign policy, and military affairs as Supreme Commander of the Armed Forces. Rebelo de Sousa leveraged this authority during Portugal's response to the COVID-19 pandemic. In March 2020, he requested parliamentary authorization for a state of emergency—the first nationwide declaration in 46 years of democratic history—to contain the crisis. He voluntarily quarantined after potential COVID-19 exposure in March 2020, and later tested positive in January 2021 while remaining asymptomatic. His measured handling of the pandemic, balancing public health with institutional continuity, contributed to his landslide 2021 re-election.
Diplomatic Engagement and International Presence:
Rebelo de Sousa has conducted extensive state visits representing Portugal's interests across diverse regions: the Vatican, Spain, Mozambique, Morocco, Brazil, Switzerland, Cuba, the United Kingdom, Greece, the United States, and Angola. A notable diplomatic highlight occurred in 2019 when he joined President Emmanuel Macron at the Bastille Day military parade in Paris, representing European military cooperation and the European Intervention Initiative. These engagements positioned Portugal as an active participant in global affairs, particularly regarding colonial history and Atlantic security partnerships.
Colonial Legacy and Historical Accountability:
During his presidency, Rebelo de Sousa has publicly supported making restitution and acknowledging abuses committed during Portugal's colonial history and the country's role in the Atlantic slave trade. This position marked a significant policy shift, as Portugal historically avoided confronting its imperial past compared to other European powers. His stance reflected evolving attitudes within Portuguese society toward historical accountability.
Controversies and Public Criticism:
Rebelo de Sousa's presidency has not been without controversy. In 2023, allegations emerged that he had intervened to expedite treatment for Brazilian twins with Zolgensma, an expensive rare disease medication, raising questions about presidential influence and potential corruption. These claims implicated his son and generated criticism across Portuguese political and media sectors. Additionally, in April 2024, Rebelo de Sousa made controversial remarks comparing the speed of Prime Ministers António Costa and Luís Montenegro using orientalist language that drew public rebuke. In August 2025, he called U.S. President Donald Trump a "Russian asset" at a PSD event, demonstrating his willingness to make provocative foreign policy statements.
Constitutional Constraints and Legacy:
Under Portugal's constitution, Rebelo de Sousa is barred from running for a third consecutive term, meaning his presidency concludes with elections scheduled for January 18, 2026. His decade-long tenure has established him as one of Portugal's most popular recent heads of state, characterized by broad consensus-building and institutional stability. Whether future presidents can replicate his cross-party appeal remains an open question for Portuguese democracy as it enters a new era.
Minister of Foreign Affairs Paulo Rangel stated that the Portuguese government has reasons to believe the agreement for the use of Lajes Base by the United States is being respected. During a parliamentary hearing, Rangel downplayed the significance of recent aircraft activity and condemned any military escalation in the conflict involving Iran.
Paulo Rangel is a Portuguese politician from the Social Democratic Party (Partido Social Democrata or PSD) who has been a prominent voice on defence and foreign‑policy issues and has served in the European Parliament. He appears in this story because he commented publicly on the controversy over Lajes Air Base being used to refuel US planes.
U.S. President Donald Trump has criticized NATO allies for refusing to join a military intervention in the Strait of Hormuz. The president warned of a very bad future for the organization if members do not assist in securing the maritime route against Iran. Portuguese analysts suggest Europe is adopting a pragmatic approach to these tensions as the conflict impacts global economic stability.
The North Atlantic Treaty Organization (Organização do Tratado do Atlântico Norte or OTAN) is a 32-member alliance facing pressure to intervene in the Strait of Hormuz to secure maritime routes. Disagreement among members regarding this military involvement has led to warnings about the organization's future stability. Portugal has been a member since NATO's founding in 1949 and hosts a major Joint Force Command in Oeiras.
EU Foreign Ministers convene in Luxembourg to approve an unprecedented sanctions package targeting approximately 1,600 individuals and entities linked to Russia, alongside launching a new mission in Lebanon.
Foreign Minister Paulo Rangel reports that EU enlargement negotiations with Albania, Moldova, Montenegro, and Ukraine are progressing rapidly, despite geopolitical challenges and internal European resistance.
Portuguese Foreign Minister Paulo Rangel clarifies that Portugal is not involved in the conflict with Iran, while affirming that the United States' use of the Lajes Base remains compliant with established conditions.
António José Seguro conducts his first official foreign visit in Madrid, where he is scheduled to meet with King Felipe VI and Prime Minister Pedro Sánchez to discuss bilateral relations.
European Union foreign ministers are navigating complex geopolitical pressures, including demands from Donald Trump regarding Iran and military interventions, while maintaining a unified stance on international alignment despite internal debates over the bloc's strategic autonomy.
The Minister of Foreign Affairs referred to the terrible rise in fuel prices and admitted the difficult moment in relations with the US, but maintained his position regarding overflights at Lajes. Paulo Rangel is optimistic about Venezuela, with the return of Corina Machado.
The Minister of Foreign Affairs underlines the importance of relations with Pacific countries for foreign policy, announcing that the opening of an embassy in Malaysia is planned for 2028.
A pro-Russian oligarch has alleged that Portugal and Spain are assisting Ukraine in weapon production and has issued threats against the Iberian Peninsula.
The leader of the Guinean opposition, Domingos Simões Pereira, said today that the visit of a CPLP mission to Guinea-Bissau means that the international community has once again placed the country's situation on its agenda.
Informal parliamentary group appeals against the US resolution that envisions autonomy under Moroccan sovereignty as the only solution and proposes a reduction of the MINURSO mission.
The President of the Republic argued that 'only international cooperation and solidarity' will allow for a response to challenges 'in an increasingly unstable world', on the occasion of United Nations Day, which is celebrated today.
The problematic relationship is historical, argues the Minister of Foreign Affairs, who therefore wants a definitive strategic commitment from the European side.
European officials know they need to be able to speak to Russia’s leader directly. The problem is choosing who should do it.
Portugal’s foreign minister, Paulo Rangel, has said that Portugal would “obviously” back the United Kingdom’s possible return to the European Union, but it is still too soon to discuss this The post Portugal’s government ‘obviously’ in favour of UK returning to EU appeared first on Portugal Resident.
Foreign Minister Paulo Rangel stated today that Portugal would “obviously” be in favour of an eventual return of the United Kingdom to the European Union, but considers it “premature” to discuss that hypothesis, arguing that the priority is to bring London closer to the 27 member states.
The author analyzes the recent strategic shift of European far-right parties, arguing that their alignment with Donald Trump is largely opportunistic. While figures like Alice Weidel and Marine Le Pen use Trump's rhetoric to justify distancing themselves from Ukraine, their true political orientation—and that of other populist movements across the continent—increasingly aligns with Moscow's interests. The analysis suggests this trend is driven by domestic electoral gains and the strategic exploitation of social grievances, warning that the goal of these parties is not necessarily to destroy the European Union, but to capture it from within.
The Prime Minister stated today that European Union leaders expressed “unequivocal and unanimous support” for the President of Ukraine and agreed to maintain “political, military and financial” aid to Kyiv.
The Prime Minister stated today that European Union leaders expressed “unequivocal and unanimous support” for the President of Ukraine and agreed to maintain “political, military and financial” aid to Kyiv.
Thirty-two countries, including Portugal, today condemned “in the strongest terms” Iran's use of attacks and other hybrid activities against their countries and partners.
The PS leader advocated for an integrated partnership with Africa concerning demographics, energy resources, and rare earth elements. “75% of the world's platinum is in Africa,” Carneiro emphasized.
Bruno Cardoso Reis admits that NATO needs to reflect on Russian initiatives within the alliance's space. He argues that the best way to deter them is to show that Russian initiatives carry high costs.
European Union (EU) foreign ministers are meeting today in Luxembourg to approve the largest ever sanctions package against Russia, which will target approximately 1,600 individuals and entities, as well as a new mission in Lebanon.
The European Union criticises sanctions against the body announced by the US administration and believes there is still “room for diplomacy”. Two days after meeting with Rubio, the Portuguese Foreign Minister says the independence of the ICC is “essential”
The Portuguese government claims that the latest US sanctions imposed on the International Criminal Court hinder efforts to ensure accountability for international crimes.
As EU foreign ministers meet in Luxembourg, the lack of a common policy on trade with Israeli settlements persists due to opposition from some member states. The article argues that Portugal, alongside other like-minded nations, should consider reducing the level of its diplomatic representation in Tel Aviv—similar to Spain's approach—to send a clear political signal regarding the preservation of a two-state solution and the opposition to the E1 corridor project, without cutting off essential communication or security cooperation.
The Portuguese Minister of State and Foreign Affairs, Paulo Rangel, today rejected the idea of a crisis of multilateralism and expressed hope that the situation in Guinea-Bissau will be overcome quickly so that the CPLP can once again count on all its members.
Portugal’s Foreign Minister Paulo Rangel has described the United States as the only country currently capable of mediating a lasting peace agreement between Russia and Ukraine, as his American counterpart The post Portugal sees US as only viable mediator in Ukraine war appeared first on Portugal Resident.
“There are protocols in place governing our presence here and how we use our bases, and we always comply with them, out of respect and to fulfil the agreements we have with our NATO allies,” guaranteed Marco Rubio. “We would never violate the sovereignty of any country. We do not violate sovereignty. That is not how...
