António Costa

António Luís Santos da Costa Template:Post-nominals (Template:IPA; born 17 July 1961) is a Portuguese lawyer and politician who has served as President of the European Council since 2024. He previously served as Prime Minister of Portugal from 2015 to 2024 and Secretary-General of the Socialist Party from 2014 to 2024.

Born in Lisbon, Costa was Secretary of State for Parliamentary Affairs from 1995 to 1997, Minister of Parliamentary Affairs from 1997 to 1999, Minister of Justice from 1999 to 2002, Minister of Internal Administration from 2005 to 2007, as well as Mayor of Lisbon from 2007 to 2015.

Costa was elected secretary-general of the Socialist Party in 2014. Costa's near 9-year tenure as prime minister is the second longest, with Costa also being the longest-serving politician in government functions, in Portuguese democracy, and the longest of any Iberian Peninsula national leader in the 21st century. On 7 November 2023, Costa resigned following an investigation involving members of his government in connection with alleged corruption and malfeasance in handling lithium mining and hydrogen projects in the country. The President of Portugal decided to dissolve Parliament and called for a snap election. Costa stayed as Prime Minister in a caretaker capacity until 2 April 2024, when he was succeeded by Luís Montenegro.

In December 2024, Costa succeeded Charles Michel as President of the European Council. As President of the European Council, Costa reaffirmed support for Ukraine during the Russian invasion of Ukraine.

Early life and education

António Luís Santos da Costa was born on 17 July 1961 in Lisbon, Portugal, the son of writer Orlando da Costa and journalist Maria Antónia Palla. He is of Portuguese and Goan descent.<ref>Then Came A Gandhi Template:Webarchive, outlookindia.com, retrieved 10 September 2015</ref><ref>Template:Cite web</ref> In Goa, Costa is affectionately known as Babush, a word in Konkani meaning 'a young loved one'.<ref>Template:Cite web</ref>

Costa graduated from the Faculty of Law of the University of Lisbon in the 1980s when he first entered politics and was elected as a Socialist deputy to the municipal council. He completed the mandatory military service in 1987<ref>Template:Cite web</ref> and later practised law briefly from 1988, before entering politics full-time.<ref name="reuters.com">Axel Bugge (4 October 2015), Portuguese Socialist leader Costa candidate for PM Template:Webarchive Reuters.</ref>

Political career

António Costa joined the Socialist Youth in 1975, at the age of fourteen.<ref>Template:Cite web</ref> In the 1982 local elections, Costa was elected as a member of the Lisbon municipal assembly, being re-elected in 1985 and 1989.<ref>Template:Cite web</ref> In the 1991 legislative election, Costa was elected as member of the Assembly of the Republic from the district of Lisbon.<ref name="Deputado">Template:Cite web</ref>

For the 1993 local elections, Costa was picked as the mayoral candidate for the municipality of Loures, a suburb of Lisbon.<ref>Template:Cite web</ref> This contest threw national attention because Costa did a campaign stunt by promoting a race between a Ferrari and a donkey to highlight the difficulty in roads and transportation to Lisbon, and to point for the necessity of better roads and a subway connection to Loures.<ref>Template:Cite web</ref> Costa narrowly lost the mayoral race to the Unitary Democratic Coalition (CDU) candidate by a 35 to 34 percent margin.<ref>Template:Cite web</ref>

In the 1996 presidential election, António Costa was the campaign director of Jorge Sampaio's successful run for the Presidency of the Republic.<ref>Template:Cite web</ref> Costa's first role in a Socialist government was as Minister of Parliamentary Affairs under Prime Minister António Guterres between 1997 and 1999. In Guterres' second term, Costa held the office of Minister of Justice from 1999 to 2002.<ref name="reuters.com"/> Costa also coordinated the organization of the Expo '98 in Lisbon.<ref>Template:Cite web</ref>

Costa in 2004.

In the 2002 legislative election, Costa was elected a member of parliament from the district of Leiria and, due to the defeat of the PS in this election, became the party's parliamentary leader in opposition.<ref name="Deputado" /> During the 2003 Casa Pia child sexual abuse scandal, António Costa's name was involved in wiretaps where he appears to want to interfere with the Public Prosecutor's Office to avoid the arrest of the PS deputy Paulo Pedroso.<ref>Template:Cite web</ref> Costa was a member of the European Parliament for the Socialist Party (Party of European Socialists), heading the list for the 2004 European elections after the death of top candidate António de Sousa Franco. On 20 July 2004, he was elected as one of the 14 vice-presidents of the European Parliament. He also served on the Committee on Civil Liberties, Justice and Home Affairs.<ref>Template:Cite web</ref> Costa would remain a member of the Party of European Socialists (PES) coalition.<ref>Template:Cite web</ref>

Costa resigned as an MEP on 11 March 2005 to become Minister of State and Internal Administration in the government of José Sócrates following the 2005 national elections.<ref>Mais de um terço do Executivo de Costa esteve nos governos de Sócrates (Jornal Económico) https://jornaleconomico.sapo.pt/noticias/mais-de-um-terco-do-executivo-de-costa-esteve-nos-governos-de-socrates-722921 Template:Webarchive</ref>

Mayor of Lisbon

António Costa resigned from all government offices in May 2007 to become his party's candidate for the municipality of Lisbon, Portugal's capital city. He was elected as Lisbon's mayor on 15 July 2007 and reelected in 2009 and 2013, with a bigger majority each time. In April 2015, he resigned his duties as mayor, while he was already the secretary general of the Socialist Party and the party's candidate for prime minister, so that he could prepare his campaign for the October 2015 general elections.<ref name="guardian25nov2015">Agence France-Presse (25 November 2015), Portugal gets Antonio Costa as new PM after election winner only lasted 11 days Template:Webarchive The Guardian.</ref>

Candidate for prime minister

In September 2014, the Socialist Party chose Costa as its candidate to be prime minister of Portugal in the 2015 national elections.<ref>Template:Cite web</ref> In a ballot to select the party's candidate, gaining nearly 70 per cent of the votes, he defeated party leader António José Seguro, who announced his resignation after the result.<ref>Andrei Khalip (28 September 2014), Portugal opposition Socialists choose mayor of Lisbon as a candidate for PM in next year's election Template:Webarchive Reuters.</ref> By April 2015, he stepped down as mayor to focus on his campaign.<ref name="Axel Bugge 2015 PM">Axel Bugge (1 April 2015), Lisbon Socialist mayor steps down to campaign for Portugal PM Template:Webarchive Reuters.</ref>

During the campaign, Costa pledged to ease back on austerity and give more disposable income back to households.<ref>Axel Bugge (18 September 2015), Portugal election race still in dead heat, no majority win: poll Template:Webarchive Reuters.</ref> He proposed to boost incomes, hiring and growth to cut the budget deficits while scrapping austerity measures and cutting taxes for the middle and lower classes, asserting that would still allow deficits to reduce in line with the Euro convergence criteria.<ref>Andrei Khalip (17 September 2015), Portuguese PM and Socialist opponent clash over austerity as election nears Template:Webarchive Reuters.</ref> Also, he pledged to roll back a hugely unpopular hike in value added tax on restaurants and reinstate some benefits for civil servants.<ref name="Axel Bugge 2015 PM"/>

Prime Minister of Portugal

First term (2015–2019)

Costa at the Informal EU-Leaders' Meeting in Salzburg in 2018

On 4 October 2015, the conservative Portugal Ahead coalition that had ruled the country since 2011 came first in the elections, winning 38.6% of the vote, while the Socialist Party (PS) came second with 32.3%. Passos Coelho was reappointed prime minister the following days, but António Costa formed an alliance with the other parties on the left (the Left Bloc, the Portuguese Communist Party and the Ecologist Party "The Greens"), which altogether constituted a majority in Parliament, and toppled the government on 10 November (the People–Animals–Nature party also voted in favour of the motion of rejection presented by the left alliance). After toppling the conservative government, Costa was chosen as the new prime minister of Portugal by President Cavaco Silva on 24 November and assumed office on 26 November.<ref name="guardian25nov2015" /><ref>Template:Cite web</ref>

By March 2017, polls put support for Costa's Socialists at 42 per cent, up 10 points from their share of the vote in the 2015 election and close to a level that would give them a majority in parliament were the country to vote again.<ref>Axel Bugge (31 March 2017), As Europe left struggles, Portugal's alliance wins over voters and Brussels Template:Webarchive Reuters.</ref> In the 2017 local elections, Costa further consolidated power in Portugal as his party captured a record haul of 158 town halls out of the country's 308 cities and towns; nationwide, the Socialists’ vote share topped 38 per cent, again up from their result in the 2015 parliamentary election.<ref>Paul Ames (2 October 2017), Portugal’s Socialists toast ‘biggest ever’ election win Template:Webarchive Politico Europe.</ref>

During his tenure, Portugal experienced its deadliest wildfires ever, firstly in Pedrogão Grande in June 2017 (65 dead) and later across the country in October 2017 (41 dead).<ref name="Portugal and Spain wildfires: Dozens dead and injured">Template:Cite news</ref> In October 2017, the opposition People's Party (CDS) launched a motion of no-confidence in Costa's government over its failure to prevent the loss of human lives in the lethal Iberian wildfires, the second such disaster in four months; the motion was largely symbolic as the minority Socialist government continued to be backed in parliament by two left-wing parties.<ref>Axel Bugge and Andrei Khalip (17 October 2017), Portugal's government faces no-confidence vote over forest fires Template:Webarchive Reuters.</ref>

Costa with Spanish Prime Minister Pedro Sánchez in Lisbon, 2 July 2018

In April 2018, Reuters reported that, "Since coming to power, Costa's government has managed to combine fiscal discipline with measures to support growth, while reversing most of the austerity policies imposed by the previous centre-right administration during the 2010–13 debt crisis.<ref>Andrei Khalip (13 April 2018), Portugal government targets budget surplus in 2020, irks allies Template:Webarchive Reuters.</ref> Various reforms were also carried out during Costa’s first term in office, including social protection for children, free books for all students up until the age of 18, far cheaper public transport tickets, and a social electricity price; with lower bills for low-income families.<ref>Making Portugal’s Break With Austerity Real An interview with Francisco Louçã, Interview by David Broder, published by Jacobin May the 10th 2019</ref>

In early 2019, Costa's government survived another opposition motion of no confidence lodged over a wave of public sector strikes.<ref>Andrei Khalip and Mark Heinrich (20 February 2019), Portuguese PM withstands no-confidence motion in parliament Template:Webarchive Reuters.</ref> Ahead of the 2019 national elections, Costa ruled out a coalition government with the hard left if, as expected, his governing party won the election but fell shy of a parliamentary majority. Instead, he indicated he favoured a continuation of the current pact in parliament with the Communists and/or the Left Bloc – rather than any formal coalition in which they would have government ministers.<ref>Andrei Khalip (29 August 2019), Portugal PM rules out coalition government after October election Template:Webarchive Reuters.</ref>

Second term (2019–2022)

Costa meets with U.S. Secretary of State Mike Pompeo in Lisbon, Portugal on 5 December 2019.

Costa's second government was sworn in on 26 October 2019,<ref>Template:Cite news</ref> the biggest government in Portuguese democracy, with 70 members: 20 ministers, including the prime minister, and 50 secretaries of state.<ref>Template:Cite news</ref> This government would prove to be very unstable due to the lack of an agreement between the left-wing parties, and, in the vote of the 2020 budget, BE and CDU abstained while the Socialists were the only party voting in favour.<ref>Template:Cite news</ref>

Despite the political instability from the lack of an agreement, the XXII government was dominated by the COVID-19 pandemic. The first case appeared on 2 March 2020, and shortly after, the government declared a state of emergency, which was signed by the President, and a lockdown was also issued.<ref>Template:Cite news</ref> The lockdown and restrictions were lifted in June 2020, but new measures would be enacted in the following months as infections and deaths rose. By mid-2022, Portugal had become one the worst affected countries in the world by the pandemic, with a death rate of 25.8 per 1 million, and an infection rate of 1,090 per 1 million.<ref>Template:Cite news</ref> The Covid vaccination campaign in Portugal, led by Admiral Henrique Gouveia e Melo, which was nominated by the government, was a major success with more than 28 million vaccines given and nearly 9 million people fully vaccinated (85% of the population), one of the biggest rates in the world.<ref>Template:Cite news</ref>

Costa with Bulgarian President Rumen Radev in the European Council Summit in Brussels, 22 October 2021

Between 1 January and 30 June 2021, António Costa presided over the Council of the European Union. In the 2021 local elections, the Socialist Party remained the largest party in the country but suffered heavy losses in several cities, especially Lisbon, which was lost to a centre-right coalition.<ref>Template:Cite journal</ref> The results were seen as a "yellow card" to António Costa.<ref>Template:Cite journal</ref> At the same time, the left-wing parties, BE and CDU, were threatening to reject the 2022 budget if Costa's government didn't make more concessions.<ref>Template:Cite web</ref> The President warned that budget rejection would lead to snap elections, which ultimately happened as the left-wing parties joined forces with the right-wing and rejected the 2022 budget, the first rejection in democracy.<ref>Template:Cite news</ref> Snap elections were called for 30 January 2022.

Further reforms were carried out durng Costa’s second term, including a new housing and urban planning law,<ref>The New Portuguese Housing and Urban Planning Law (3/2021) by Ana Neves, 2021</ref> the extension of free early childhood education and care to all vulnerable children,<ref>PES Social Europe Network: all Member States should follow socialist governments and implement the Child Guarantee October 14, 2021</ref> extended bereavement leave,<ref>Portugal: updates regarding labour 05/01/2022</ref> and a duty on employers “to refrain from contacting employees outside regular working hours.”<ref>The right to disconnect – or as Portugal calls it – the duty of absence of contact Mariana Pinto Ramos (VdA - Vieira de Almeida & Associados; University of Lisbon (Portugal))/09/03/2022</ref>

Third term (2022–2024)

Costa with Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy on 21 May 2022

Costa was re-elected in the 2022 Portuguese legislative election, with the PS winning 120 seats, up from 108 seats, in a surprise outright majority in the Assembly. In the weeks leading up to the election, polling suggested that Costa and the Socialist Party would retain their status as the largest party in the Assembly but would need the help of other parties to achieve a majority. In his victory speech, Costa thanked voters for giving him "an increased responsibility" and promising to govern "with and for all Portuguese".<ref>Template:Cite web</ref> This gave him the mandate to form the XXIII Constitutional Government of Portugal.<ref>Template:Cite news</ref>

During Costa’s third term, several amendments to the country’s Labour Code were carried out.<ref>Portugal February 05, 2024 By Paul Hastings Professional</ref> However, his third term was marred by a wave of scandals and resignations that affected his popularity negatively in the opinion polls.<ref>Template:Cite web</ref> 11 ministers and secretaries of state left their roles, over allegations of corruption and past misconduct or questionable practices.<ref>Template:Cite news</ref> The most significant scandal was the TAP scandal where Costa's government has been involved. Infrastructure Minister Pedro Nuno Santos submitted his resignation in December 2022, following a public backlash over a hefty severance pay a secretary of state received from state-owned TAP, which fell under his remit.<ref>Template:Cite news</ref>

Costa with Brazilian President Luiz Inácio Lula da Silva on 24 April 2023

Costa replaced Santos with João Galamba, who submitted his resignation in May 2023 as the TAP scandal widened. Opposition parties said that Galamba concealed from parliament that he had proposed that then TAP CEO Christine Ourmières-Widener meet Socialist lawmakers to prepare for a parliamentary hearing about her severance package. Widener was later fired after an official inspection found that the severance was illegal. Galamba initially said the preparatory meeting was TAP's idea, but acknowledged it was he who had told Widener that, if she wanted, she could attend the meeting where his advisors would also be present.<ref name=":0">Template:Cite news</ref>

Galamba added that one of his advisors, who took notes on what was discussed at the meeting, had been fired and taken a laptop with confidential information with him. The laptop was later recovered by the national intelligence service SIS, leading to accusations from the opposition of government overreach since such cases were a police matter. Costa denied that neither he nor any member of the government had given orders to SIS to recover the laptop.<ref name=":0" /> He added that he would reject the resignation of Galamba, keeping him in the job against president Marcelo Rebelo de Sousa's and the opposition's request.<ref>Template:Cite news</ref> President Rebelo de Sousa responded by issuing a warning that Costa's government needed to work on preserving its credibility, while refraining from using his power to dissolve parliament.<ref>Template:Cite news</ref>

Resignation

Costa announcing his resignation, on 7 November 2023

On 7 November 2023, Portuguese prosecutors detained Costa's chief of staff Vítor Escária and named João Galamba a formal suspect<ref>Template:Cite web</ref> in an investigation into alleged corruption in lithium mining, green hydrogen production and a data centre deals. Over 40 searches were carried out, some of which in government and local government buildings, including Escária's office, the Ministry of Infrastructure and the Ministry of the Environment and Climate Action.<ref>Template:Cite news</ref><ref>Template:Cite web</ref> Costa was also under suspicion of enabling the lithium and green hydrogen deals, and was to be inquired by the Supreme Court of Justice.<ref>Template:Cite web</ref>

In a televised statement in the afternoon, Costa announced his resignation from the position of prime minister, saying that "the dignity of the functions of prime minister is not compatible with any suspicion about his integrity, his good conduct and even less with the suspicion of the practice of any criminal act".<ref name="ReutersResignation">Template:Cite news</ref><ref>Template:Cite news</ref>

The President of the Republic, Marcelo Rebelo de Sousa, accepted Costa's resignation on the same day.<ref>Template:Cite news</ref> However, the resignation of Costa and his government was only made official on 8 December, to have the State Budget for 2024 approved. The Assembly of the Republic was also dissolved. The president scheduled early elections to be held on 10 March 2024. Costa's government remained in office in a caretaker capacity until the new government (led by Luis Montenegro) was sworn in after the elections.<ref name="cmjornal.pt">Template:Cite web</ref><ref name=":1">Template:Cite news</ref><ref>Template:Cite web</ref>

The investigation has since attracted criticism after the prosecutors admitted several mistakes, including confusion between the names of António Costa and then Minister of Economy António Costa Silva in the transcript of a wiretap.<ref>Template:Cite web</ref><ref>Template:Cite web</ref><ref>Template:Cite web</ref>

Costa would become the second-longest-serving Portuguese prime minister during Portuguese democracy.<ref>Template:Cite news</ref> He served as head of government longer than any other Iberian Peninsula national leader in the 21st century.<ref>Template:Cite news</ref>

President of the European Council

Costa with Syrian President Ahmed al-Sharaa at the Emergency Summit of the League of Arab States on Gaza, 3 March 2025

António Costa with Ursula von der Leyen and Chinese President Xi Jinping in Beijing, China, 24 July 2025

In the aftermath of the 2024 European Parliament election, Costa was seen as the frontrunner candidate for the Presidency of the European Council.<ref>Template:Cite news</ref><ref name="Conselho">Template:Cite news</ref><ref>Template:Cite news</ref> On 27 June 2024, António Costa was elected as President of the European Council, one of the three most important leadership posts of the European Union, by the 27 EU member state leaders.<ref name="Conselho"/> He started in the position on 1 December 2024.<ref>Template:Cite web</ref>

As President of the European Council, Costa reaffirmed support for the Ukrainian government of Volodymyr Zelenskyy on the third anniversary of the 2022 Russian invasion of Ukraine.<ref>Template:Cite web</ref>

In March 2025, Costa met in the Egyptian capital, Cairo, with Syrian President Ahmed al-Sharaa.<ref>Template:Cite news</ref>

Personal life

In 1987, Costa married Fernanda Maria Gonçalves Tadeu, a teacher.<ref name="reuters.com"/> The couple have a son and a daughter. Costa also holds an Overseas Citizenship of India.<ref>Template:Cite web</ref>

Costa is a supporter of the football club S.L. Benfica,<ref>Template:Cite web</ref> and was a frequent spectator at their matches while mayor of Lisbon. He also accompanied Benfica to both UEFA Europa League finals, in 2013 and 2014.

Electoral history

Loures City Council election, 1993

Template:Election table |- ! colspan="2" | Party ! Candidate ! align="center" style="width: 50px"| Votes ! align="center" style="width: 50px"|% ! align="center" style="width: 50px"|Seats ! align="center" style="width: 50px"|+/− |- | style="background:Template:Party color;"| | align="left"| CDU | align=left |Demétrio Alves || 55,524 || 34.6 || 4 || style="color:red;"| –1 |- | style="background:Template:Party color;"| | align="left"|PS | align=left |António Costa || 53,749 || 33.5 || 4 || style="color:green;"| +1 |- | style="background:Template:Party color;"| | align="left"|PSD | align=left |João Malato Correia || 34,727 || 21.7 || 3 || ±0 |- | style="background:Template:Party color;"| | align="left"| CDS–PP | align=left |– || 6,348 || 4.0 || 0 || ±0 |- | style="background:Template:Party color;"| | align="left"| PCTP/MRPP | align=left |– || 4,117 || 2.6 || 0 || ±0 |- | colspan="3" align="left"| Blank/Invalid ballots | 5,829 || 3.6 || – || – |- style="background-color:#E9E9E9" | colspan="3" align="left"| Turnout | 160,294 || 61.01 || 11 || ±0 |- | colspan="7" align=left|Source: Autárquicas 1993<ref>Template:Cite web</ref> |}

European Parliament election, 2004

Template:Main Template:Election table |- ! colspan="2" | Party ! Candidate ! Votes ! align="center" style="width: 50px"|% ! align="center" style="width: 50px"|Seats ! align="center" style="width: 50px"|+/− |- | style="background:Template:Party color;"| | align="left"|PS | align=left |António CostaTemplate:Efn || 1,516,001 || 44.5 || 12 || ±0 |- | style="background:Template:Party color;"| | align="left"|FP | align=left |João de Deus Pinheiro|| 1,132,769 || 33.3 || 9 || style="color:red;"| –2 |- | style="background:Template:Party color;"| | align="left"| CDU | align=left |Ilda Figueiredo || 309,401 || 9.1 || 2 || ±0 |- | style="background:Template:Party color;"| | align="left"| BE | align=left |Miguel Portas || 167,313 || 4.9 || 1 || style="color:green;"| +1 |- | style="background:Template:Party color;"| | align="left"| PCTP/MRPP | align=left |Garcia Pereira || 36,294 || 1.1 || 0 || ±0 |- | style="background:white;"| | colspan="2" align="left"| Other parties | 108,338 || 3.2 || 0 || ±0 |- | colspan="3" align="left"| Blank/Invalid ballots | 134,166 || 4.0 || – || – |- style="background-color:#E9E9E9" | colspan="3" align="left"| Turnout | 3,404,782 || 38.60 || 24 || style="color:red;"| –1 |- | colspan="7" align=left|Source: Comissão Nacional de Eleições<ref>Template:Cite web</ref> |}

Lisbon City Council by-election, 2007

Template:Main Template:Election table |- ! colspan="2" | Party ! Candidate ! align="center" style="width: 50px"| Votes ! align="center" style="width: 50px"|% ! align="center" style="width: 50px"|Seats ! align="center" style="width: 50px"|+/− |- | style="background:Template:Party color;"| | align="left"|PS | align=left |António Costa || 56,732 || 29.5 || 6 || style="color:green;"| +1 |- | style="background:Template:Party color;"| | align="left"|Ind. | align=left |Carmona Rodrigues || 31,990 || 16.6 || 3 || new |- | style="background:Template:Party color;"| | align="left"|PSD | align=left |Fernando Negrão || 30,401 || 15.8 || 3 || style="color:red;"| –5 |- | style="background:Template:Party color;"| | align="left"| Ind. | align=left | Helena Roseta || 19,754 || 10.3 || 2 || new |- | style="background:Template:Party color;"| | align="left"| CDU | align=left |Ruben de Carvalho || 18,163 || 9.4 || 2 || ±0 |- | style="background:Template:Party color;"| | align="left"| BE | align=left |José Sá Fernandes || 13,132 || 6.8 || 1 || ±0 |- | style="background:Template:Party color;"| | align="left"| CDS–PP | align=left |Telmo Correia || 7,148 || 3.7 || 0 || style="color:red;"| –1 |- | style="background:Template:Party color;"| | align="left"| PCTP/MRPP | align=left |Garcia Pereira || 3,021 || 1.6 || 0 || ±0 |- | style="background:white;"| | colspan="2" align="left"| Other parties | 4,530 || 2.3 || 0 || ±0 |- | colspan="3" align="left"| Blank/Invalid ballots | 7,483 || 3.9 || – || – |- style="background-color:#E9E9E9" | colspan="3" align="left"| Turnout | 192,354 || 36.70 || 17 || ±0 |- | colspan="7" align=left|Source: Intercalares 2007<ref>Template:Cite web</ref> |}

Lisbon City Council election, 2009

Template:Main Template:Election table |- ! colspan="2" | Party ! Candidate ! align="center" style="width: 50px"| Votes ! align="center" style="width: 50px"|% ! align="center" style="width: 50px"|Seats ! align="center" style="width: 50px"|+/− |- | style="background:Template:Party color;"| | align="left"|PS | align=left |António Costa || 123,372 || 44.0 || 9 || style="color:green;"| +3 |- | style="background:Template:Party color;"| | align="left"|PSD/CDS–PP/MPT/PPM | align=left |Pedro Santana Lopes || 108,457 || 38.7 || 7 || style="color:green;"| +4 |- | style="background:Template:Party color;"| | align="left"| CDU | align=left |Ruben de Carvalho || 22,623 || 8.1 || 1 || style="color:red;"| –1 |- | style="background:Template:Party color;"| | align="left"| BE | align=left |Luís Fazenda || 12,795 || 4.6 || 0 || style="color:red;"| –1 |- | style="background:white;"| | colspan="2" align="left"| Other parties | 5,911 || 2.1 || 0 || ±0 |- | colspan="3" align="left"| Blank/Invalid ballots | 7,152 || 2.5 || – || – |- style="background-color:#E9E9E9" | colspan="3" align="left"| Turnout | 280,310 || 53.43 || 17 || ±0 |- | colspan="7" align=left|Source: Autárquicas 2009<ref>Template:Cite web</ref> |}

Lisbon City Council election, 2013

Template:Main Template:Election table |- ! colspan="2" | Party ! Candidate ! align="center" style="width: 50px"|Votes ! align="center" style="width: 50px"|% ! align="center" style="width: 50px"|Seats ! align="center" style="width: 50px"|+/− |- | style="background:Template:Party color;"| | align="left"|PS | align=left |António Costa || 116,425 || 50.9 || 11 || style="color:green;"| +2 |- | style="background:Template:Party color;"| | align="left"|PSD/CDS–PP/MPT | align=left |Fernando Seara || 51,156 || 22.4 || 4 || style="color:red;"| –3 |- | style="background:Template:Party color;"| | align="left"| CDU | align=left |João Ferreira || 22,519 || 9.9 || 2 || style="color:green;"| +1 |- | style="background:Template:Party color;"| | align="left"| BE | align=left |João Semedo || 10,533 || 4.6 || 0 || ±0 |- | style="background:blue;"| | align="left"| PPM/PPV/PND | align=left |José Jorge Andrade || 2,814 || 1.2 || 0 || new |- | style="background:Template:Party color;"| | align="left"| PCTP/MRPP | align=left |Joana Miranda || 2,378 || 1.0 || 0 || ±0 |- | style="background:white;"| | colspan="2" align="left"| Other parties | 1,838 || 0.8 || 0 || ±0 |- | colspan="3" align="left"| Blank/Invalid ballots | 15,792 || 6.9 || – || – |- style="background-color:#E9E9E9" | colspan="3" align="left"| Turnout | 228,682 || 45.06 || 17 || ±0 |- | colspan="7" align=left|Source: Autárquicas 2013<ref>Template:Cite web</ref> |}

PS Primary election, 2014

Template:Main Template:Election table |- style="background-color:#E9E9E9" ! align="center" colspan=2 style="width: 60px"|Candidate ! align="center" style="width: 50px"|Votes ! align="center" style="width: 50px"|% |- |bgcolor=Template:Party color| | align=left | António Costa | align=right | 120,188 | align=right | 67.8 |- |bgcolor=Template:Party color| | align=left | António José Seguro | align=right | 55,928 | align=right | 31.5 |- | colspan=2 align=left | Blank/Invalid ballots | align=right | 1,234 | align=right | 0.7 |- |- style="background-color:#E9E9E9" | colspan=2 style="text-align:left;" | Turnout | align=right | 177,350 | align=right | 70.71 |- | colspan="4" align=left|Source: Resultados<ref>Template:Cite web</ref> |}

Legislative election, 2015

Template:Main Template:Election table |- ! colspan="2" | Party ! Candidate ! Votes ! align="center" style="width: 50px"|% ! align="center" style="width: 50px"|Seats ! align="center" style="width: 50px"|+/− |- | style="background:Template:Party color;"| | align="left"|PàF | align=left |Pedro Passos Coelho || 2,085,465 || 38.6 || 107 || style="color:red;"| –25 |- | style="background:Template:Party color;"| | align="left"|PS | align=left |António Costa || 1,747,730 || 32.3 || 86 || style="color:green;"| +12 |- | style="background:Template:Party color;"| | align="left"| BE | align=left |Catarina Martins || 550,945 || 10.2 || 19 || style="color:green;"| +11 |- | style="background:Template:Party color;"| | align="left"| CDU | align=left |Jerónimo de Sousa || 445,901 || 8.3 || 17 || style="color:green;"| +1 |- | style="background:teal;"| | align="left"| PAN | align=left |André Silva || 75,170 || 1.4 || 1 || style="color:green;"| +1 |- | style="background:black;"| | align="left"| PDR | align=left |Marinho e Pinto || 61,920 || 1.1 || 0 || new |- | style="background:Template:Party color;"| | align="left"| PCTP/MRPP | align=left |Garcia Pereira || 60,045 || 1.1 || 0 || ±0 |- | style="background:white;"| | colspan="2" align="left"| Other parties | 178,937 || 3.3 || 0 || ±0 |- | colspan="3" align="left"| Blank/Invalid ballots | 201,979 || 3.7 || – || – |- style="background-color:#E9E9E9" | colspan="3" align="left"| Turnout | 5,408,092 || 55.84 || 230 || ±0 |- | colspan="7" align=left|Source: Diário da República<ref>Template:Cite web</ref> |}

Legislative election, 2019

Template:Main Template:Election table |- ! colspan="2" | Party ! Candidate ! Votes ! align="center" style="width: 50px"|% ! align="center" style="width: 50px"|Seats ! align="center" style="width: 50px"|+/− |- | style="background:Template:Party color;"| | align="left"|PS | align=left |António Costa || 1,903,687 || 36.3 || 108 || style="color:green;"| +22 |- | style="background:Template:Party color;"| | align="left"|PSD | align=left |Rui Rio || 1,454,283 || 27.8 || 79 || style="color:red;"| –10 |- | style="background:Template:Party color;"| | align="left"| BE | align=left |Catarina Martins || 498,549 || 9.5 || 19 || ±0 |- | style="background:Template:Party color;"| | align="left"| CDU | align=left |Jerónimo de Sousa || 332,018 || 6.3 || 12 || style="color:red;"| –5 |- | style="background:Template:Party color;"| | align="left"| CDS–PP | align=left |Assunção Cristas || 221,094 || 4.2 || 5 || style="color:red;"| –13 |- | style="background:teal;"| | align="left"| PAN | align=left |André Silva || 173,931 || 3.3 || 4 || style="color:green;"| +3 |- | style="background:#202056;"| | align="left"| Chega | align=left |André Ventura || 67,502 || 1.3 || 1 || new |- | style="background:Template:Party color;"| | align="left"| IL | align=left |Carlos Guimarães Pinto || 67,443 || 1.3 || 1 || new |- | style="background:Template:Party color;"| | align="left"| LIVRE | align=left |Joacine Katar Moreira || 56,940 || 1.1 || 1 || style="color:green;"| +1 |- | style="background:white;"| | colspan="2" align="left"| Other parties | 207,162 || 4.0 || 0 || ±0 |- | colspan="3" align="left"| Blank/Invalid ballots | 254,875 || 4.9 || – || – |- style="background-color:#E9E9E9" | colspan="3" align="left"| Turnout | 5,237,484 || 48.60 || 230 || ±0 |- | colspan="7" align=left|Source: Comissão Nacional de Eleições<ref>Template:Cite web</ref> |}

Legislative election, 2022

Template:Main Template:Election table |- ! colspan="2" | Party ! Candidate ! Votes ! align="center" style="width: 50px"|% ! align="center" style="width: 50px"|Seats ! align="center" style="width: 50px"|+/− |- | style="background:Template:Party color;"| | align="left"|PS | align=left |António Costa || 2,302,601 || 41.4 || 120 || style="color:green;"| +12 |- | style="background:Template:Party color;"| | align="left"|PSDTemplate:Efn | align=left |Rui Rio || 1,618,381 || 29.1 || 77 || style="color:red;"| –2 |- | style="background:#202056;"| | align="left"| Chega | align=left |André Ventura || 399,659 || 7.2 || 12 || style="color:green;"| +11 |- | style="background:Template:Party color;"| | align="left"| IL | align=left |João Cotrim Figueiredo || 273,687|| 4.9 || 8 || style="color:green;"| +7 |- | style="background:Template:Party color;"| | align="left"| BE | align=left |Catarina Martins ||244,603 || 4.4 || 5 || style="color:red;"| –14 |- | style="background:Template:Party color;"| | align="left"| CDU | align=left |Jerónimo de Sousa ||238,920 || 4.3 || 6 || style="color:red;"| –6 |- | style="background:Template:Party color;"| | align="left"| CDS–PP | align=left |Rodrigues dos Santos || 89,181 || 1.6 || 0 || style="color:red;"| –5 |- | style="background:teal;"| | align="left"| PAN | align=left |Inês Sousa Real || 88,152 || 1.6 || 1 || style="color:red;"| –3 |- | style="background:Template:Party color;"| | align="left"| LIVRE | align=left |Rui Tavares || 71,232 || 1.3 || 1 || ±0 |- | style="background:white;"| | colspan="2" align="left"| Other parties | 91,299 || 1.6 || 0 || ±0 |- | colspan="3" align="left"| Blank/Invalid ballots | 146,824 || 2.6 || – || – |- style="background-color:#E9E9E9" | colspan="3" align="left"| Turnout | 5,564,539 || 51.46 || 230 || ±0 |- | colspan="7" align=left|Source: Comissão Nacional de Eleições<ref>Template:Cite web</ref> |}

Honours

National honours

• Grand Cross of the Military Order of Christ (25 November 2024)<ref>Template:Cite web</ref>
• Grand Cross of the Order of Prince Henry (1 March 2006)<ref name="OrdHonPor">Template:Cite web</ref>

Foreign honours

• Template:Flag:
  • Grand Cross of the Order of Rio Branco (29 May 2023)<ref name="OrdHonEst"/>
  • Commander of the Order of Rio Branco (19 May 2014)<ref name="OrdHonEst"/>
• Template:Flag: Grand Cross of the Order of Merit (31 August 2010)<ref name="OrdHonEst"/>
• Template:Flag: Third Class of the Order of the Cross of Terra Mariana (16 July 2010)<ref name="OrdHonEst"/>
• Template:Flag: Grand Cross of the Order of Honour (21 April 2017)<ref name="OrdHonEst"/>
• Template:Flag: Knight Grand Cross of the Order of St. Gregory the Great (3 September 2010)<ref name="OrdHonEst"/>
• Template:Flag: Grand Cordon of the Order of the Sacred Treasure (16 February 2015)<ref name="OrdHonEst"/>
• Template:Flag: Grand Cross of the Order for Merits to Lithuania (16 July 2010)<ref name="OrdHonEst"/>
• Template:Flag: Grand Cross of the Order of Merit of the Grand Duchy of Luxembourg (28 June 2019)<ref name="OrdHonEst"/>
• Template:Flag: Grand Cross of the Royal Norwegian Order of Merit (25 September 2009)<ref name="OrdHonEst">Template:Cite web</ref>
• Template:Flag:
  • Commander's Cross with Star of the Order of Merit of the Republic of Poland (16 February 2015)<ref name="OrdHonEst"/>
  • Commander's Cross with Star of the Order of Polonia Restituta (18 July 2012)<ref name="OrdHonEst"/>
• Template:Flag: Grand Cross of the Order pro merito Melitensi (23 November 2010)<ref name="OrdHonEst"/>
• Template:Flag: Grand Cross of the Order of Charles III (25 November 2016)<ref>Template:Smallcaps: Template:Cite journal</ref>
• Template:Flag: Pravasi Bharatiya Samman for Public Services (2017)<ref>Template:Cite news</ref>

See also

• List of heads of state and government of Indian origin

External links

• Biography in the Portuguese Government site
• Biography in the Council of Europe website

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