Latest news and stories about political opinion in Portugal for expats and residents.
Ricardo Arroja argues that, despite earlier favourable international coverage, the government’s final days of 2025 were painful and exposed deeper political and economic faults. He calls for a new mindset and a reordered policy approach to restore public confidence, stabilise consumption and address the political challenges facing the next phase of governance.
An Intercampus opinion poll for CM and Jornal de Negócios shows that only a quarter of respondents think Seguro will be worse. Also in this newspaper, negotiations between teachers and the Ministry.
A poll reveals the negative opinion of the Portuguese regarding the current Government. About half of the respondents say the executive is worse than they imagined. Seguro is expected to perform better than Marcelo.
Regardless of ideological differences within the democratic camp, mobilising and voting for António José Seguro on the upcoming 8th is an act of defending democracy. Opinion by Manuel Carlos Silva
Democracy does not need romanticism, nor cults of popular glorification or sacrosanct claims that ascribe moral virtues to it.
The fact that so many people on the right repeat that reasoning as a criticism of other people on the right actually proves the opposite: the right is not monolithic.
Being democratically elected does not necessarily make someone democratic. Proclaiming oneself “outside the system” does not mean one does not benefit from it.
The 250 want the best for us, but are afraid of change when it comes to themselves. Why change what has worked so well?
The PS candidate is 'wholeheartedly' recommended, now conveniently labelled 'moderate', and this without any decent trace of sarcasm — perhaps only hypocrisy.
A vote for Seguro isn't meant to allow him to 'do more things'. A strengthened vote is meant to signal to Ventura that there is a limit to how much he can 'do more things'. That's what's at stake on the 8th. Column by Ana Sá Lopes
Amid a national catastrophe and an election campaign, the JPP's initiative went unnoticed. But it should not have — it symbolises a new way of doing politics inspired by populism. Opinion by Manuel Carvalho
The democratic right celebrated with pomp and circumstance the 50th anniversary of 25 November, a date that later made possible a PS/CDS government and a PS/PSD government. It is better not to feed misunderstandings, nor to answer hatred with hatred, lest we all end up backwards, retreating to a PREC of the opposite sign.
It’s not only the pro‑Ventura columnists at Observador who have numbed their minds and their indignation in the face of neo‑Nazism and its links to Chega. It is all of society that finds it normal for Ventura to remain silent and to consent. Opinion by Ana Sá Lopes
It is legitimate for people on the right — from the PSD, CDS and IL — to want to vote for Seguro. But it is not acceptable that they contribute to the falsification of history by trying to construct a 'Seguro' that never existed.
Given everything already known, couldn't the Portuguese government, like Spain, France, the Netherlands, the United Kingdom and China, adopt a more courageous stance and refuse to join the Council for Peace?
To say that the PPD was ever right-wing is false. Even Passos Coelho admitted it - the same one who sent Luís Montenegro as part of the Portuguese delegation to visit Fidel Castro on his deathbed.
Is António José Seguro already showing what kind of President of the Republic he will be?
I am proud to have campaigned for motions adopted at the convention that reaffirmed the liberals' humanist stance on immigration, nationality, equality and the fight against hate and discrimination. Opinion by Sandra Pimentel
In this election we are choosing the President of the Republic. Urbanity, civility, courtesy and a humanist outlook are required — attributes that are absent in Ventura.
Sérgio Sousa Pinto looks back a hundred years to invoke the dangers of fascism — and cannot look back twenty to explain the PS's mistakes? Opinion by João Miguel Tavares
The minister appeared flustered, but did she leave the Portuguese more reassured or, on the contrary, more worried? And Leitão Amaro — timidity or a serious blunder?
In a second round there would always be some people who would vote for any candidate standing against Ventura. But having Seguro on the other side makes that decision much simpler — it’s easy to vote for Seguro. In fact, even many who consider themselves die-hard supporters of Ventura wouldn’t find the idea of voting for the former Socialist leader absurd if the Chega leader were not standing.
Frankly, nobody would imagine Eanes hesitating between Seguro and Ventura (as the AD did) or preferring Ventura (as the CDS parliamentary leader, Paulo Núncio, did). Column by Ana Sá Lopes.
In a country that depends on the work of immigrants, Miguel Sousa Tavares, on Viva Voz, speaks about the injustice and the insults aimed at “those who are serving us and came to give life to a moribund country”.
Amid criticism and visits, André Ventura tried to attract attention, but it backfired on him. And Seguro — did he take the opportunity to campaign?
In an interview with CNN Portugal, the former campaign representative for Gouveia e Melo says that a vote for Seguro is primarily a vote against André Ventura's candidacy.
A vote for Seguro is a vote for empowering the PS. Just look at the misleading sociological analysis already circulating that paints the country entirely pink.
Seguro is on the left, yet a conservative is the one moving the pieces. Ventura is on the right, yet acts with the excesses of a revolutionary. The world turned upside down. Column by Gonçalo Saldanha.
We are generally more demanding of those who are close to us because we want the best for them. So, before starting this column, and because I consider it relevant to its development, I hereby make a declaration of interests: I have, for the most part, voted for the PSD since I was first able to exercise that right. Not out of party devotion, nor out of automatic loyalty ...
André Ventura's presidential campaign was never serious, and it ended yesterday. The Chega leader knows he won't have the votes to become President, but he may pick up votes to win the legislative elections. He sniffed out the weakness of his prey. The prey is not Seguro, it's Montenegro. Ventura is therefore heading, against the tide, towards São Bento. Belém was only a refuelling stop.
