Expresso and Observador report that, under constitutional rules, the successor to Marcelo Rebelo de Sousa will be sworn into office on 9 March — the same inauguration date used by his recent predecessors since 1986. The fixed date means the transfer of presidential duties is scheduled regardless of interim arrangements after the election. Those following the campaign or official ceremonies should note the 9 March timetable.

A concise, analytical guide to voting in Sunday’s presidential election: who is eligible to vote, when polling stations are open, what you need to bring, whether you can use your own pen, what to do if you make a mistake on your ballot, and rules about bringing children or carers into the polling station. Also covers guidance for expat voters and common FAQs to help you vote confidently and correctly on election day.

Correio da Manhã reports a 53% increase in people receiving treatment for gambling addiction, signalling growing social and healthcare demand for support services. The rise may put additional pressure on treatment providers and social services; those affected or concerned about someone at risk should seek specialised help through local health channels. Residents relying on public health services should monitor availability of addiction support in their area.

The government has committed €110 million to support lithium extraction projects despite strong public opposition. Environmental groups describe the funding as a 'blank cheque' paid for by taxpayers, arguing it risks local ecosystems and undermines sustainability claims. The injection of public funds raises wider questions about fiscal priorities, state backing for critical minerals, regulatory oversight and democratic legitimacy amid popular resistance.

The Draghi Report's ambitions force Europe to confront uncomfortable realities: it is falling significantly behind global competitors. The analysis argues that the ‘race’ has been underway for years and that closing the gap requires urgent, active policy choices — including structural reforms, targeted investment and a renewed focus on competitiveness across the single market.

U.S. President Donald Trump announced tariffs on eight European countries tied to a dispute over Greenland, prompting President of the European Council, António Costa, and EU ambassadors to meet urgently on Sunday and leaders to promise a coordinated response. Brussels and several national leaders warned the measures threaten transatlantic relations; the European Parliament has signalled it will not advance a pending EU–US trade deal while tensions escalate. The political uncertainty could stall trade policy and affect exporters and markets; business owners and exporters should monitor developments closely.

Update: Multiple outlets (RTP, POLITICO Europe, ECO) report French President Emmanuel Macron pressed EU leaders to activate the bloc’s anti‑coercion instrument if Washington imposes the threatened surtaxes; the tool would require a qualified majority of member states to be deployed and is meant as a legal-political deterrent. Markets, exporters and import‑dependent businesses should monitor diplomatic developments and any concrete EU measures that could affect trade flows.

Público summarises practical voting information for the presidential ballot: polling stations are open from 08:00 to 19:00 across Portugal and voters must bring a photo ID such as the national ID card (cartão de cidadão), citizen card/identity document (BI), passport or driving licence. Voters can confirm their polling location via the electoral register (recenseamento.pt), by sending SMS to 3838 or contacting the official helpline. Residents who are unsure where to vote should check recenseamento.pt before heading to the polls.

Update: By 16:00 official figures cited by CNN Portugal put turnout at about 45.51% — the fastest participation rate at that hour since 2006 — and multiple outlets note more than 11 million voters were called to the polls today with 11 candidates on the ballot. Polling stations opened at 08:00 in mainland Portugal and Madeira, with the Azores starting an hour later; candidates and party leaders repeatedly urged citizens to vote. Voters and volunteers should expect extended coverage and local queuing at busy sections.

The Finance Minister will be at next week's annual meeting of the World Economic Forum in Davos, and will use the presence of policymakers and investors to 'sell' the progress the national economy has made in recent years. In remarks to ECO, Joaquim Miranda Sarmento highlights this year's event theme, ...

Portugal faces a mixed outcome from the EU–Mercosur trade agreement. Export-oriented sectors such as wine, olive oil and cheese see expanded market access to Argentina, Brazil, Paraguay and Uruguay as growth opportunities, while domestic meat and rice producers fear increased competition, downward price pressure and quota-driven market disruption. The deal thus creates winners and losers within Portugal’s agricultural and food industries, highlighting the need for safeguards, support measures and sectoral adaptation strategies.

Update: The trade agreement between the European Union and Mercosur is due to be signed this Saturday. The impending signature has intensified debate in Portugal: wine, olive oil and cheese sectors are positioning to capture growth in the four South American markets, while meat and rice producers renew warnings about heightened competition, downward price pressure and quota effects. Stakeholders are pressing for concrete safeguards, transitional support and clear implementation timetables to mitigate adjustment costs and protect sensitive domestic producers.

A press roundup reporting an increase in foreign doctors in Portugal — though not being brought into the SNS (Portuguese National Health Service) — and coverage that Spain is acting as a stumbling block to Mário Centeno’s prospects at the European Central Bank (ECB).

António Costa says this is a historic agreement between the European Union and Mercosur and rejected criticism that it favours Europe. According to the President of the European Council, it is a trade agreement but also one on investment.

Many emigrants are effectively disenfranchised because presidential voting is strictly in person, forcing citizens abroad to travel hundreds of kilometres to reach polling stations. As a result, abstention among the diaspora consistently exceeds 90%. The practical burdens—time, cost and mobility—raise equity and representation concerns, skew electoral participation towards residents and those with resources to travel, and may distort mandates. The situation highlights a policy trade‑off between electoral integrity and accessibility and strengthens arguments for reforms such as postal ballots, expanded consular voting, secure electronic options or mobile polling. Any reform would need to weigh logistical complexity, security and public trust against the democratic imperative to include citizens abroad.

Reporting from Público finds many emigrants must travel hundreds of kilometres to reach Portuguese diplomatic missions to vote, using consulates (consulados) for passports, citizen cards and electoral participation. The piece profiles voters who combine document services and ballots at consular posts and highlights the travel burden for residents abroad who lack nearby polling locations. Those living overseas should check their designated consulate and travel plans well ahead of polling days.

Público reports that Portuguese citizens living in Brazil who want to vote in Portugal's presidential election must attend Portuguese consulates (consulados) or the embassy (embaixada) in Brazil to cast their ballot. The note highlights consular voting procedures for expatriates rather than postal or remote voting alternatives. Portuguese nationals abroad, especially dual nationals in Brazil, should confirm their consulate's opening hours and required ID before election day.

Campaigners made their final appeals across the country as the presidential campaign wound down, with most candidates concentrating events in Lisbon ahead of voting on 18 January. Outlets report eleven candidates criss‑crossing the country and close polling in some matchups, increasing the chance of a second round (segunda volta) if no candidate wins an absolute majority. Voters and teams should check polling logistics and opening hours for Sunday, and watch for any late endorsements or tactical appeals that could influence tight races.

Update: Major outlets provided minute‑by‑minute live coverage and in‑depth wrap pieces on the campaign's last day — including Público predictions, ECO's 50‑image campaign gallery, Observador behind‑the‑scenes reporting and Correio da Manhã's review of five defining cases — while some outlets note 11 active campaigners on the road though 13 names appear on some ballot papers.

Diário de Notícias and Correio da Manhã report the Portuguese government describes the long‑running EU–Mercosur agreement as an economic opportunity, while domestic producers and farming groups urge Brussels to proceed cautiously to protect local sectors. The coverage highlights continuing divisions over market access, environmental and regulatory safeguards after 25 years of negotiation. Exporters and agricultural businesses should monitor EU negotiations and any safeguards that may affect competitive conditions.

With the Eurogroup set to choose the ECB vice-president on Monday, former Portuguese central bank governor Mário Centeno—one of two front-runners—says there remains a lack of alignment among major EU countries. Speaking to PÚBLICO, Centeno urges reaffirmation of the reasons for his candidacy and signals that political negotiations, policy priorities and regulatory direction will be decisive in the appointment. The comments frame the contest as both a balance-of-power and policy-choice moment for the ECB’s future leadership.

New proposals would create a two-tier EU that allows states to obtain membership while curbing some voting or decision-making rights. Supporters argue the model eases enlargement and protects institutional efficiency, while critics — including prospective members — say it risks unequal treatment, weakened solidarity and long-term fragmentation of the Union.

On the penultimate day of a Porto‑focused campaign, Mendes — the candidate backed by the PSD and CDS — intensified calls for voters to concentrate their ballots next Sunday, warning that the result must not be left to chance. He framed the vote as decisive for who will occupy Belém and criticised the broader presidential campaign as lacking substantive policy ideas, arguing it is time to end an empty contest and consolidate support behind a clear alternative. The intervention underlines a tactical push for vote consolidation and a critique of opponents’ absence of coherent presidential proposals.

The presidential campaign skirted constitutional debate, focusing on policy and partisan positioning more suited to a head-of-government race than a head-of-state contest. António José Seguro — the Socialist-backed candidate — presents himself as the moderate alternative and argues the Constitution need not be revised, only respected; meanwhile Luís Montenegro will run as his party’s candidate. The piece argues the Republic needs a president who acts as a moderator, respects institutional limits and upholds the separation of powers.

A DN/Aximage poll finds Socialist candidate Seguro leading Ventura by 20 percentage points in a hypothetical second-round (run-off) contest. Commentary in the piece highlights tactical voting for Seguro to block the right, the extreme or the current government, warns that a Ventura vs Cotrim run-off would be damaging for the right, and reports Ventura dismissing calls for Montenegro’s backing while claiming stronger polling levels.

Admiral Gouveia e Melo has urged a change in health leadership, saying the Government should resign if it cannot resolve systemic problems in the healthcare system. He accuses the State of failing across the board, criticises missed deadlines for delivering results and calls for accountability and urgent action to protect patients and medical services. The remarks frame the crisis as a leadership and policy failure with direct implications for care delivery and public confidence.

European Commissioner for Defence and Space Andrius Kubilius conducted his first official visit to Portugal, meeting Defence Minister Nuno Melo and Education Minister Fernando Alexandre to discuss defence and space policy. He signalled that SAFE funds could reach the Portuguese government in the coming weeks or months, prompting analytical questions about budget timing, allocation between defence and civil space programmes, and coordination between national ministries and EU institutions. The visit underlined the need for clear planning to integrate incoming EU funding with Portugal’s defence and space policy priorities.

David Pontes argues that the so-called elections for the presidencies of the CCDRs are a façade: party leaders pick office-holders behind closed doors, depriving voters and local stakeholders of genuine choice. The editorial contends this practice undermines democratic legitimacy, concentrates power within party machines and weakens accountability in regional policy, and calls for transparent, competitive selection procedures and broader electoral reform.

A proposal to create 'Social Golden Visas' — a fast-track residency pathway modelled on investor golden visas but targeted at people with urgent social needs. Analytically, the policy could deliver rapid legal protection and access to services for vulnerable migrants and expats, but it requires clear eligibility criteria, safeguards against abuse, and alignment with broader immigration and welfare systems to avoid unintended consequences.

Compete will launch a clean-up operation to revoke PT2030 support for projects that were approved but have not started implementation within three months. The review aims to free up EU funding tied to non-executed projects; affected business owners should expect revocation letters beginning in February. The move signals a stricter enforcement of grant timelines and should prompt beneficiaries either to commence work promptly or risk losing allocated support, allowing funds to be reallocated to active projects.

The EU's new Entry-Exit System (EES) — which now obliges over a third of non‑EU nationals entering the Schengen area to submit extra personal and biometric data — has provoked a standoff between airports and Brussels. Airports warn of operational strain, higher costs and longer processing times amid limited staff and technical readiness; EU institutions argue the measure is necessary to improve border security, migration management and traveller rights. The dispute highlights tensions between security aims, data‑protection concerns and practical implementation challenges that could affect expats, short‑term visitors and airlines alike.

The European Commission confirmed that President Ursula von der Leyen will sign the EU–Mercosur free trade agreement on Saturday 17 January, after the EU approved advancement of the deal despite objections from France, Hungary and Poland. Supporters argue the pact will boost exports and deepen ties with South America, while farmers and some domestic political actors warn of negative impacts on agriculture and standards. The move has been framed by some commentators as a rare act of multilateral diplomacy amid broader geopolitical tensions.

During a tense election campaign swing through Ovar, São João da Madeira and Lamego, AD-backed candidate Marques Mendes publicly challenged Health Minister Ana Paula Martins to “show up and explain” mounting problems in the National Health Service, notably failings in emergency departments. Mendes, accompanied by two ministers and supported at events by Porto mayor Rui Moreira, pressed for direct public explanations as the health portfolio becomes a campaign battleground; the minister already has a public engagement scheduled. Elsewhere on the campaign trail, André Ventura “survived” an incident in Aveiro—famously described as a "chuva de cavacas"—and later thanked supporters in Viseu's so-called “Cavaquistão,” underscoring how confrontational moments and popular gestures are shaping voter perceptions. The episodes highlight healthcare policy and political accountability as central issues in the race and illustrate how personalised campaign incidents are influencing public debate.