Latest news and stories about national identity in Portugal for expats and residents.
The vast majority of people living in Portugal did not live through the 25th of April, and this obvious demographic fact has fuelled the thesis of popular disinterest in the date, particularly among young people. Opinion by Manuel Loff
When we manage to put an end to the double sectarianism, that of appropriation and that of absence, perhaps we can finally have what we still have yet to fully achieve: an April 25th that truly belongs to everyone.
António José Seguro defended the “transparency” of institutions and appealed to young people to be vigilant against attacks on democracy and freedom. Read here in full the first speech by President Seguro at a 25th of April session.
May this sacred ground of Atoleiros always remind us: we are small, but we are not weak. We are few, but we are not alone. We are Portuguese.
A discussion has emerged regarding the requirement for public universities to maintain their names in Portuguese, following a rector's directive to comply with the law. The author argues that the official status of the Portuguese language, as enshrined in the Constitution, is a vital element of national identity that is being undermined by an uncritical push for English-language internationalisation. The text criticises the academic trend of prioritising English at the expense of Portuguese, arguing that it leads to discrimination against local students and risks turning Portuguese institutions into mere anglophone protectorates.
Is it not time for the left to abandon its puerile views on the country's colonial history and also take pride in what, in our past, is an obvious reason for pride?
Portugal was a founder and central beneficiary of the slave system and continues to persistently erase that history, while celebrating it as part of its national identity. Opinion by Luísa Semedo
In 1992, Sousa Lara removed Saramago from the European Literary Prize. Lara ended up in the Chega party, which he left to avoid losing his lifetime subsidy; Saramago went on to receive the Nobel Prize. Cavaco did not attend his funeral. And the spirit of Lara still hangs over the PSD. The only Portuguese literature Nobel laureate may no longer be required reading in schools. The right, with its homogenising vision of national identity, cannot bear that someone with Saramago's profile is a symbol of our culture. Or is it just another poorly handled affair?
The country that 'inaugurated' the transatlantic trafficking of enslaved people, the empire responsible for the trafficking of more than 4.5 million human beings, continues to try to dodge the issue. Opinion by João Moreira da Silva
Power relations between the centre and the peripheries were not only administrative, but symbolic and staged. The imposition of rituals served to create an illusion of royal omnipresence.
Portugal was not born to be governed by accountants of decay or passionless careerists, and it will only rise again when it returns to rewarding merit, courage, ambition, and intelligence.
A doctrine, a good funding system, a language as infrastructure, heritage as a platform, and the diaspora as a network are not just academic whims.
Camões, his value, and what we can learn from him are not merely objects of fleeting contemplation. The State's responsibility, in an act such as the one I am referring to, must be followed through. Opinion by Carlos Reis.
Yes, culture can be political. Cultural policies are politics. Yes, culture is power. 'Soft power', they say. Yes, culture can be one of the most effective ways of affirming common roots and national projection, without racist or xenophobic tics. But if culture is directed by petty politicians, it becomes something else. And it is worth little.
Recent events reveal the worst of both worlds: Portugal increasingly submissive to hypocritical conservatism and demagogic leaders, in a Europe lost regarding its civilizational role. Opinion by Ruy Filho.
The participation of the Royal House in special public acts of the republic is justified by a historical legitimacy, grounded in the commitment it made to national institutions and the people.
The article reports that the political parties CDS and Chega in Portugal are proposing to ban “ideological flags” or flags from other countries from being displayed on public buildings. This initiative aims to restrict the display of flags that may carry ideological messages or represent foreign nations in public spaces, reflecting ongoing debates about national identity and public decorum. The proposal has garnered attention within Portuguese political discourse, highlighting tensions around symbolism and patriotism.
It was just past 13:00 when António José Seguro arrived at the Jerónimos Monastery to fulfil another item on the agenda. At the site, the President of the Republic, as tradition dictates, laid a wreath at the tomb of Luís Vaz de Camões.
In 1970, the census surprised Portugal with only 8.6 million residents, fewer than expected, revealing a trend of emigration. Over 180,000 Portuguese left that year, fleeing poverty, the Colonial War, and the regime. Emigration was seen as a sign of backwardness, shaping the country's identity. By 2020, the UN estimated around 2.1 million people born in Portugal living abroad, about 21% of the resident population, up from 9-10% in 1970. Despite Portugal's enrichment and integration into Europe, this trend of emigration has continued. The ease of leaving Portugal and living legally in other countries has increased, with significant wage disparities prompting many to seek better opportunities abroad. The emergence of low-cost airlines has made travel more accessible, leading to a new type of emigrant who moves between countries for work without severing ties to Portugal. While Portugal experiences record emigration, it also sees more immigrants than ever before, raising questions about the political responsibility to manage these dual realities effectively. The political discourse framing immigration as a threat contrasts sharply with the data showing that a significant portion of the population is now living abroad, highlighting the complexity of national identity and economic reliance on foreign labour.
Portuguese artist Rueffa will showcase elements of Portugal's national identity at the Milan–Cortina 2026 Winter Olympic Games.
A reflection on immigration, emigration and the role of descendants in shaping Portuguese identity. Opinion by Amanda Rattes.
An opinion piece drawing parallels between Portuguese society and the moral and social decay depicted in Eça de Queirós's novel 'Os Maias', arguing that the nation mirrors the family's decadence.
The President of the Republic said on Wednesday in the European Parliament that 'there are no pure Portuguese, there are diverse Portuguese', stressing that the country was formed 'in a melting pot of ethnicities, cultures and religions'. In a speech to the European Parliament, at a commemorative session marking the 40th anniversary of Portugal and Spain's accession to the then European Economic Community ...
The President of the Republic takes part in the ceremony marking the 40th anniversary of Portugal's accession to the EEC.
The President of the Republic attends the ceremony marking the 40th anniversary of Portugal's accession to the European Union.
An alleged piece attributed to political commentator Gonçalo Ribeiro Telles has been circulating online claiming that 'Portugal has no culture or values worthy of respect'. However, the text has been doctored.
President Marcelo Rebelo de Sousa referenced writer Eça de Queirós and urged Portugal to aim for a future that is better than its past.
