Latest news and stories about regional development in Portugal for expats and residents.
President of the Republic António José Seguro has called for increased state investment in Portugal's interior and border regions to combat depopulation and aging. During a visit to Vila Nova de Cerveira, he argued that a cohesive country must prioritize the vitality of these regions rather than focusing solely on major urban centers.
During a train journey along the Douro Line, the President of the Republic, António José Seguro, advocated for integrated strategic investment in Portugal's interior regions. He emphasized that no territory is dispensable and called for greater cooperation between the state, local authorities, and private entities to boost regional development.
António José Martins Seguro (born March 11, 1962, in Penamacor) is a lawyer, political scientist, and the current President of the Portuguese Republic, inaugurated on March 9, 2026 after winning the two-round presidential election in January–February 2026.
Career: He led Socialist Youth (1990–1994), served as MEP (1999–2001), was Minister Adjunct to PM António Guterres (2001–2002), and led the PS parliamentary group (2004–2005). Elected PS Secretary-General in 2011 with 68%, he led the opposition during Portugal's bailout era. In 2014, António Costa defeated him in party primaries by a landslide, prompting Seguro's resignation and a decade-long retreat from politics. He returned in 2025, launching the movement UPortugal and announcing his presidential candidacy in June. He received official PS backing in October 2025 and won the presidency in February 2026.
Political philosophy: Seguro positions himself as representing a "modern and moderate" left, advocating financial responsibility while opposing austerity. As President, he has emphasized institutional trust, efficient governance, and a collaborative relationship with the government while maintaining rigorous constitutional oversight.
Guimarães has been chosen as the site for the presentation of Portugal’s national space strategy, a symbolic starting point for mayor Ricardo Araújo’s plan to turn the municipality — home to the Guimarães Space Hub — into an Iberian leader in the aerospace sector. Local authorities are pursuing rehabilitation of facilities, investment and economic activation to attract industry, create jobs and build a skills pipeline. Realising that ambition will require sustained funding, coordination with national and international partners, and targeted policies to translate strategy into industrial growth rather than a one‑off showcase.
The Government, led by Infrastructure and Housing Minister Miguel Pinto Luz, plans to establish a working group to study expansion options for Francisco Sá Carneiro (Porto) Airport in response to sustained growth in air traffic. The group will assess operational, environmental and regional impacts — aiming to avoid the noise and congestion problems experienced at Lisbon’s Humberto Delgado Airport — and to inform infrastructure, transport and investment decisions for the Porto metropolitan area.
The Interior does not need promises of salvation. It needs habitable houses, jobs, services, transport links, and people with reasons to stay or return.
Between the concentration of opportunities in major cities and the abandonment of many territories, Portugal continues to face inequalities that compromise national cohesion.
Europe's strength begins in its regions. Portugal needs this Europe.
The MUNDA - Movement for the Unity and Defence of the Mondego River Basin demanded today that the river's management be democratic, involving local authorities, rather than falling solely under the control of a state body.
In this episode of the “European Economic Dictionary”, Professor João Duarte explains the importance of this European fund.
The Mayor of Beja, Nuno Palma Ferro, revealed that the strategy under discussion for the municipality focuses on the aeronautical industry, rejecting the possibility of the town hosting the flight school previously announced for Tancos. The mayor's position follows the Government's announcement on the 14th that the proposal from Lufthansa...
Alqueva transformed agriculture in the Alentejo, but the population continues to shrink and age, and a large part of the wealth does not remain in the region, concludes a study by the University of Évora.
It’s the crisp Atlantic breeze rolling over the coast between Peniche and Nazaré, the world-famous surf breaks, the endless orchards of Rocha pears and apples stretching across Caldas da Rainha, The post Beyond pears, surfing, and 90s discos: why the Oeste Region needs a territorial ESG reality check appeared first on Portugal Resident.
Right to Stay is an initiative by the European Commission to ensure that all Europeans have the right to build a life where they were born or wish to live, without feeling forced to leave due to a lack of opportunities.
Socialists from Castelo Branco accuse the Government of presenting “a void of ideas” for their district. They demand funds for the IC31 and the implementation of the Central Administrative Court of the Centre in the 2027 State Budget.
How can territories outside major urban centres establish themselves as engines of economic growth and innovation? This is one of the questions being debated at the meeting “Guimarães: The Economic Future Outside Major Centres,” promoted by ECO and the Guimarães City Council, which takes place on October 28th at the Paço dos Duques, in...
The region will now have an address, telephone contacts and workspaces in Brussels. The services provided will be extended to the entire ecosystem of the Leiria region.
The European Union report examines regional development, noting both successful initiatives and ongoing obstacles within Portugal.
The European Union (EU) faces numerous traps to its development and strategic positioning on the globe, warns the state of regions and cities report presented this Monday in Brussels by the European Committee of the Regions (CoR). The document points the finger at choices made over the last decades and speaks of a fracture between the...
The Portuguese government is requesting an additional 900 million euros in funding to support the autonomous regions of Madeira and the Azores.
An upcoming event in Ferragudo will focus on discussing the future prospects of the Algarve region and the country of Portugal.
The President of the Republic, António José Seguro, warned today in Vila Real that culture provides visibility to territories and that a country that devalues its interior ends up impoverishing itself.
The message was shared by António José Seguro during his visit to Vila Real.
For António José Seguro, a cohesive country is one where a “postcode” does not determine a person's possibilities and where distance from major centres does not mean distance from opportunities.
An analysis of the 2027 State Budget and the ongoing obligation to address regional disparities and development in Portugal's rural inland areas.
The Government of the Azores has launched a public tender for the revision of the Azores Regional Territorial Planning Plan, 16 years after it came into force, to adapt the planning to new challenges.
The President of the Republic noted that about 350 children have been born in Penamacor in recent years, in a municipality where there are five people over 65 for every young person under 15.
The draft Plan and Budget proposals for the Azores for 2027 include an increase in investment for regional tourism promotion to 17.2 million euros, an increase of 8.3 million euros compared to 2026, it was revealed today.
A delegation from the European Parliament's Committee on Regional Development visited Madeira.
A delegation from the European Parliament's Committee on Regional Development visited Madeira.
The future of the Algarve came under discussion in Lagos last week, at an event bringing together businesspeople and specialists from Portugal and abroad to explore opportunities for the region’s The post Experts discuss the future of the Algarve in Lagos appeared first on Portugal Resident.
