Portugal

Politics

Portugal's new center-right minority government will be sworn in on April 2 following snap parliamentary elections on March 10, with new Prime Minister Luis Montenegro from the center-right Social Democratic Party (PSD) set to present his government's policy priorities, Expresso reported April 1. 

Portugal: New Center-Right Minority Government Takes Office

Economics

The center-right Democratic Alliance party, or AD, won Portugal's snap general election on March 10 by securing 79 seats in the country's 230-seat parliament, while the incumbent center-left Socialist Party, or PS, won 77 seats, and the right-wing populist Chega party captured 48 seats, Reuters reported on March 11.

Portugal: Elections Yield Fragmented Parliament, Paving the Way for Increased Political Instability

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The European Commission recommended reducing the European Union's net greenhouse gas emissions by 90% by 2040 compared with 1990 levels, Reuters reported Feb. 6. 

EU: Brussels to Exclude Agriculture from 90% Emissions Reduction Target for 2040

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Russia-Ukraine Conflict

European Union member states unanimously agreed to a 50 billion euro ($54 billion) financial support package for Ukraine as part of their joint budget through 2027, for which Hungarian Prime Minister Viktor Orban lifted his veto on the initiative, Reuters reported Feb. 1.

EU, Ukraine: EU Leaders Unanimously Agree to New 50 Billion Euro Aid Package for Kyiv

Negotiators from EU member states and the European Parliament reached a preliminary agreement to overhaul the bloc's asylum and migration rules, Reuters reported on Dec. 20.

EU: Bloc's Institutions Reach Agreements on New Asylum and Migration Rules

The European Union is "unlikely" or "very unlikely" to meet most of its 2030 green objectives, according to the latest report by the European Environment Agency (EEA) published Dec. 18.

EU: Bloc to Miss Most of its 2030 Climate Goals

Georgia

The European Council voted to grant EU candidate status to Georgia, and both government officials and opposition politicians in Georgia praised the decision, Civil Georgia reported on Dec. 14. 

Georgia: European Commission Recommends Georgia for EU Candidate Status

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The European Union proposed a three-year delay for tariffs on electric vehicles (EVs) traded with the United Kingdom, which were originally set to enter into force in 2024 under the terms of the post-Brexit Trade and Cooperation Agreement (TCA), Bloomberg reported Dec. 6.

EU, U.K.: Brussels Proposes Three-Year Delay to EV Tariffs in Trade with London

Snapshots

The outside of the Portuguese parliament building is seen in Lisbon, Portugal.

Portugal's inconclusive election may lead to a series of fragile governments in the years ahead, but any new leader is unlikely to abandon the country's current path of fiscal prudence.

In Portugal, a Fragmented Parliament Paves the Way for More Political Instability

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Early voters line up March 3, 2024, in Lisbon, Portugal. Portuguese voters head to the polls March 10 in what opinion polls suggest will be a tight race between the incumbent Socialist Party and the Democratic Alliance coalition of center-right parties.

Cyber

Israel-Hamas Conflict

A look at what the coming week will bring -- and a list of recommended RANE articles from the week that was.

The Weekly Rundown: Portugal's Election, Ramadan Begins With No Gaza Cease-fire

A photo taken on Jan. 20, 2024, shows cars driving by campaign billboard posters in Sao Pedro do Estoril, Portugal, ahead of the country's March 10 parliamentary elections. 

Social Issues

Of the various European countries holding elections this year, Portugal, Belgium, Austria, Romania and the U.K.'s votes have the potential to yield the most drastic leadership and policy changes.

Previewing Europe's 2024 National Elections

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China

Members of the European Parliament take part in voting on the Artificial Intelligence Act during a plenary session at the European Parliament.

The EU's recently negotiated Artificial Intelligence Act will bolster the European Union's dominance as a regulatory heavyweight in emerging technologies, yet anticipated enforcement challenges and stringent stipulations with the Act risk impeding AI innovation within the bloc.

EU Lawmakers Clinch Agreement on Artificial Intelligence Act 

Columns

On Geopolitics

Demonstrators hold Spanish flags during a protest called by the country’s far-right Vox party in Madrid, Spain, on Nov. 12, 2023. 

Far-right parties are expected to perform strongly in sub-national, national and EU elections next year, portending significant shifts in governance and policies.

In Europe, Far-Right Parties Are Again on the Rise

People visit the 1627 Pilgrim Village at "Plimoth Plantation," where role-players portray pilgrims seven years after the arrival of the Mayflower, in Plymouth, Massachusetts.

On Thanksgiving, the United States celebrates the Plymouth Colony. However, few know that New England's colonization was a response to major geopolitical pressures -- particularly England's struggle against the Spanish both on the Continent and in the New World.

Thanksgiving and Puritan Geopolitics in the Americas

A Portuguese flag flies in front of the parliament in Lisbon on Nov. 7, 2023, after Prime Minister Antonio Costa announced he would resign as head of state in the wake of a corruption scandal involving energy contracts.

Energy

A government scandal involving lithium and hydrogen contracts may delay projects key to strengthening the EU's strategic autonomy in the raw materials and renewable energy sectors.

In Portugal, a Political Crisis Unfolds at the Heart of the EU's Energy Transition

Rail cars loaded with steel sit at the ThyssenKrupp Schwelgern steel plant on May 30, 2018 in Duisburg, Germany. 

The European Union and the United States will increase efforts to deconflict their trade and climate policies ahead of the upcoming U.S. presidential and EU parliamentary elections, but lingering disagreements will not allow for a complete respite of Trump-era tariffs on EU steel and aluminum.

EU-U.S. Steel and Aluminum Negotiations Make Limited Headway

Uganda

Brazil

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U.S. and South Korean flags are waved March 10, 2015, in Seoul, South Korea.

The Weekly Rundown: South Korea's President Meets Biden, Lula Pushes Spain on EU Trade

Japan

International Monetary Fund (IMF) Chief Economist Pierre Olivier Gourinchas speaks during a media interview at the IMF headquarters in Washington D.C. on July 26, 2022, after the institution downgraded its outlook for the global economy this year and next. 

As the effects of post-COVID reopenings wane, rising interest rates and slower economic growth may prove particularly problematic for highly indebted countries like Italy.

After a Brief Reprieve, Debt Levels in Many Advanced Economies Are Set to Rise

The headquarters of the European Central Bank (ECB) is pictured in Frankfurt, Germany, on July 21, 2022. 

The bank’s laser focus on fighting inflation will come at the cost of economic growth, which will force the 19 countries in the currency area to step up fiscal consolidation efforts.

The ECB Tries To Keep the Eurozone From Entering Another Debt Crisis. Will It Succeed?

People visit the 1627 Pilgrim Village at "Plimoth Plantation," where role-players portray pilgrims seven years after the arrival of the Mayflower, in November 2005. 

North America Unrivaled

Portugal is a country in southwestern Europe that is surrounded by Spain to the north and east and by the Atlantic Ocean to the west and south. Portugal also controls the Atlantic archipelagos of Azores and Madeira.    Mountain ranges run through northern Portugal, while hills and plains mark the center and the south. Because of its long coast and many islands, Portugal possesses the third largest exclusive economic zone in the European Union. Some of the longest rivers on the Iberian Peninsula, including the Douro and the Tagus, also enter the ocean in Portugal after flowing from east to west. These rivers have traditionally contributed to the prosperity of some of Portugal’s main cities, including Lisbon (the capital) and Porto (the second largest city).     Portugal’s position on the Atlantic has made the country a nation of sailors and explorers. It became a global empire starting in the late 15th century, establishing colonies and trading posts in places as diverse as South America, Africa, the Middle East, India and South Asia. While Portugal eventually lost control of all its colonies, it retains close economic and cultural ties with many of them, including Brazil and Angola. The country's rivalry with neighboring Spain, another colonial power, has ultimately fostered close ties between Lisbon and London.    Portugal entered a period of political turbulence and economic decline in the early 19th century. The country languished under a military dictatorship during a significant portion of the 20th century, only transitioning to democracy in 1974. The country subsequently joined the European Economic Community, the Schengen area and the eurozone. The financial crisis of the late 2000s hit the Portuguese economy hard, forcing Lisbon to request a rescue program from the European Union and the International Monetary Fund.    The country's main geopolitical challenge is to reconcile its competing interests as a former colonial empire, Atlantic nation and member of the European Union to secure economic prosperity and political stability for its approximately 10 million inhabitants.

SITUATION REPORTS

Portugal: New Center-Right Minority Government Takes Office

Portugal: Elections Yield Fragmented Parliament, Paving the Way for Increased Political Instability

EU: Brussels to Exclude Agriculture from 90% Emissions Reduction Target for 2040

EU, Ukraine: EU Leaders Unanimously Agree to New 50 Billion Euro Aid Package for Kyiv

EU: Bloc's Institutions Reach Agreements on New Asylum and Migration Rules

EU: Bloc to Miss Most of its 2030 Climate Goals

Georgia: European Commission Recommends Georgia for EU Candidate Status

EU, U.K.: Brussels Proposes Three-Year Delay to EV Tariffs in Trade with London

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