These are lists of incumbents, including heads of states or of subnational entities.
In the executive branch, the head of government is the highest or the second-highest official of a sovereign state, a federated state, or a self-governing colony, autonomous region, or other government who often presides over a cabinet, a group of ministers or secretaries who lead executive departments.
Politics in Portugal operates as a unitary multi-party semi-presidential representative democratic republic, whereby the Prime Minister of Portugal is the head of government, and the President of Portugal is the non-executive head of state which, although it is a somewhat ceremonial figure, has some significant political powers they exercise often. Executive power is exercised by the Government, whose leader is the prime minister. Legislative power is primarily vested in the Assembly of the Republic, although the government is also able to legislate on certain matters. The Judiciary of Portugal is independent of the executive and the legislature. The President exerts a sort of "moderating power", not easily classified into any of the traditional three branches of government.
The prime minister of Portugal is the head of government of Portugal. As head of government, the prime minister coordinates the actions of ministers, represents the Government of Portugal to the other bodies of state, is accountable to parliament and keeps the president informed. The prime minister can hold the role of head of government with the portfolio of one or more ministries. As Portugal is a semi-presidential parliamentary republic, the prime minister is the country's leading political figure and de facto chief executive.
Minister of state is a designation for a government minister, with varying meanings in different jurisdictions. In a number of European countries, the title is given as an honorific conferring a higher rank, often bestowed upon senior ministers. In the United Kingdom and several other Commonwealth countries, "minister of state" is a junior rank subordinate to ministers of higher rank. In Brazil and Japan, all ministers of cabinet rank hold the title, while in Australia "minister of state" is the designation applied to all government ministers regardless of rank.
The president of Portugal, officially the president of the Portuguese Republic, is the head of state and highest office of Portugal.
António Luís Santos da Costa is a Portuguese lawyer and politician who served as the 118th prime minister of Portugal from 2015 to 2024, presiding over the XXI (2015–2019), XXII (2019–2022) and XXIII Constitutional Governments (2022–2024). Following this, Costa will take up the post of President of the European Council in December 2024.
Ministry or department are designations used by first-level executive bodies in the machinery of governments that manage a specific sector of public administration.
The Government of France, officially the Government of the French Republic, exercises executive power in France. It is composed of the prime minister, who is the head of government, as well as both senior and junior ministers.
The Council of Ministers is a collegial executive body within the Government of Portugal. It is presided over by the Prime Minister, but the President of Portugal can take on this role at the Prime Minister's request. All senior ministers are members of the Council of Ministers, and when the prime minister finds it applicable, state secretaries can also attend its meetings.
The Government of Portugal, also referred to as the Government of the Portuguese Republic, the Portuguese Government or simply the Government, is one of the four sovereignty bodies of the Portuguese Republic, together with the President of the Republic, the Assembly of the Republic and the courts. It is both the body of sovereignty that conducts the general politics of the country and the superior body of the Portuguese public administration.
The Third Portuguese Republic is a period in the history of Portugal corresponding to the current democratic regime installed after the Carnation Revolution of 25 April 1974, that put an end to the paternal autocratic regime of Estado Novo of António de Oliveira Salazar and Marcelo Caetano. It was initially characterized by constant instability and was threatened by the possibility of a civil war during the early post-revolutionary years. A new constitution was drafted, censorship was prohibited, free speech declared, political prisoners were released and major Estado Novo institutions were closed. Eventually the country granted independence to its African colonies and begun a process of democratization that led to the accession of Portugal to the EEC in 1986.
The title secretary of state or state's secretary is commonly used for senior or mid-level posts in governments around the world. The role varies between countries, and in some cases there are multiple secretaries of state in the country's system of governing the country.
The XIX Constitutional Government of Portugal was the 19th government of the Third Portuguese Republic, under the current Constitution. It was in office from 21 June 2011 to 30 October 2015, and was formed by a centre-right coalition between the Social Democratic Party (PSD) and the CDS – People's Party (CDS–PP). Pedro Passos Coelho, leader of the PSD, served as Prime Minister.
The XXI Constitutional Government of Portugal was the 21st government of the Third Portuguese Republic, under the current Constitution. It was in office from 26 November 2015 to 26 October 2019, and was formed by the members of the Socialist Party (PS). António Costa, leader of the PS, served as Prime Minister.
The XX Constitutional Government of Portugal was the 20th government of the Third Portuguese Republic, under the current Constitution. It was in office between 30 October 2015 and 26 November 2015, and was formed by a centre-right coalition between the Social Democratic Party (PSD) and the CDS – People's Party (CDS–PP), which ran together in the 2015 legislative election under the name Portugal Ahead. Pedro Passos Coelho, leader of the PSD, served as Prime Minister.
The present Portuguese order of precedence is defined by the Law of the Precedences of Protocol of the Portuguese State of 25th August 2006. This defines the following precedence:
- The President of the Republic
- The President of the Assembly of the Republic
- The Prime Minister
- The President of the Supreme Court and the President of the Constitutional Court
- The President of the Supreme Administrative Court and the President of the Court of Auditors
- Former Presidents of the Republic
- Ministers of the Government of Portugal
- The Leader of the Opposition
- Vice-presidents of the Assembly of the Republic and Presidents of the parliamentary groups
- The Attorney-general of the Republic
- The Chief of the General Staff of the Armed Forces
- The Ombudsman
- Representatives of the Republic to the Autonomous Regions
- Presidents of the Legislative Assemblies of the Autonomous Regions
- Presidents of the Regional Governments
- Leaders of other parties with seats in the Assembly of the Republic
- Former Presidents of the Assembly of the Republic and former Prime Ministers
- Councilors of State
- Presidents of Permanent Commissions of the Assembly of the Republic
- Secretaries and under-secretaries of State of the Government of Portugal
- Chiefs of Staff of the Army, Navy, and Air Force
- Members of the Assembly of the Republic
- Members of the European Parliament
- Marshals and Admirals of the fleet
- Chiefs of the Civilian House and Military House of the President of the Republic
- Presidents of the Economic and Social Council, of the National Association of Portuguese Municipalities and of the National Association of Freguesias
- The Governor of the Bank of Portugal
- Chancellors of Honorific Orders of Portugal
- Vice-presidents of the Supreme Judges Council
- Judges of the Constitutional Court
- Judges of the Supreme Court, Supreme Administrative Court, and Court of Audits
- Regional secretaries and under-secretaries of the Governments of the Autonomous Regions
- Members of the Legislative Assemblies of Autonomous Regions
- The Commandant-general of the National Republican Guard and the National Director of the Public Security Police
- Secretaries-general of the Presidency of the Republic, of the Assembly of the Republic, of the Presidency of the Council of Ministers and of the Ministry of Foreign Affairs
- The Chief of Protocol
- Presidents of intermediate level courts (Relação), Presidents of the Council of Rectors of Portuguese Universities and of the Coordinator Council of the Polytechnics, leaders of the Bar Associations and Presidents of professional associations of public law
- Presidents of the Portuguese Academy of History and the Lisbon Academy of Sciences, Rectors of universities and Presidents of Polytechnics
- Members of the councils of the Honorific Orders of Portugal
- Judges of intermediate level courts and deputies attorneys-general, vice-rectors of universities and vice-presidents of polytechnics
- Presidents of the municipal councils (Mayors)
- Presidents of the municipal assemblies
- Civil governors of districts
- Chiefs of Staff of the President of the Republic, President of the Assembly of the Republic, and Prime Minister
- Presidents, members and secretaries-general of councils, national councils, superior councils, oversight councils, national commissions, high authorities, high commissioners, oversight committees, by order of seniority of the respective institution, directors-general and presidents of public institutions, by order of their respective ministries, the head of the Santa Casa de Misericórdia, and the President of the Portuguese Red Cross
- Admirals and general officers with command functions, by order of military rank, operational commanders and commanders of military zone, maritime zone, and air zone, of the Autonomous Regions of Azores and Madeira
- Directors of the National Defense Institute and the Joint Command and Staff College, commanders of the Military Academy, Naval School, and Air Force Academy, admirals and general officers of 3 and 2 stars
- Chiefs of staff of members of government
- Deputies directors-general and regional directors
- Judges and attorneys-general
- Aldermans (vereadores) of municipal councils
- Aides of the President of the Republic, of the President of the Assembly of the Republic, and of the Prime Minister
- Presidents of Civil Parishes
- Members of municipal assemblies
- Presidents of parish assemblies and members of civil parishes and parish assemblies
- Directors of service
- Chiefs of division
- Aides of members of government
Ana Manuel Jerónimo Lopes Correia Mendes Godinho is a Portuguese legal expert, civil servant and politician of the Portuguese Socialist Party (PS) who served as the Minister of Labour, Solidarity and Social Security in the Portuguese Government from 2019 to 2024, having previously served as Secretary of State for Tourism. In the March 2024 national election she was elected to the Portuguese National Assembly as the sole representative of the PS in the Guarda constituency.
The XXIII Constitutional Government of Portugal was the 23rd government of the Third Portuguese Republic under the current Constitution, and had António Costa as the Prime Minister, in his third consecutive term. It was in office from 30 March 2022 to 2 April 2024 and was formed by members of the Socialist Party (PS).
