• President of the European Council (since Dec 2024)
• Former Prime Minister of Portugal (November 2015 – April 2024)
• Party: Socialist Party (PS) Partido Socialista
• He is of Portuguese and Indian (Goan) descent

António Luís Santos da Costa (born July 17, 1961, in Lisbon) is a Portuguese lawyer and Socialist politician who served as Prime Minister of Portugal from 2015-2024 and currently serves as President of the European Council since December 1, 2024. After leading the Lisbon Municipal Assembly and practicing law, he was elected MEP (2004-2005) and entered parliament in 2002. He led the Socialist Party from 2014-2024, building unprecedented parliamentary coalitions with the Communist Party and Left Bloc (2015-2019) before winning an absolute majority in 2022. He resigned as PM in November 2023 following a corruption investigation, though subsequently cleared. The 27 EU member states elected him Council President in June 2024, making him the fourth full-time President and the first southern European socialist in that role. ​

Political Philosophy:

Costa represents moderate European social democracy, combining orthodox fiscal responsibility with progressive social investment. He prioritizes European integration, consensus-building, and pragmatic compromise over ideological confrontation. As Council President, he champions mediation between member states, improved EU inter-institutional relations, shorter decision-making processes, and regular visits to every EU capital to reconnect citizens with European institutions. His approach emphasizes "creative bridges" reconciling divergent interests while maintaining firmness on European values, particularly regarding Ukraine.

The Eurogroup is a meeting of finance ministers from the 20 European Union countries that use the Euro currency. It coordinates economic policies and manages financial stability, including responses to energy price volatility caused by global conflicts. Residents should note that its decisions influence inflation and the broader economic environment across the Eurozone.

Higher crude oil prices raise wholesale fuel costs, and those increases typically reach Portuguese petrol and diesel pumps within days to weeks; the recent conflict has pushed oil to one‑year highs and European gas futures up roughly 40%, making fuel the first likely victim. Final pump prices also depend on taxes, VAT and distributor margins, so consumers should expect higher filling‑station bills but the exact change will reflect those tax and margin components as well as exchange rates.