Afternoon Update -- 25 February 2026

Finance Minister Hospitalised

Joaquim Miranda Sarmento was admitted to Santa Maria Hospital in Lisbon on Wednesday afternoon and is undergoing medical tests. Hospital sources have ruled out a stroke. No further details on his condition have been released, and the government has not announced interim arrangements for his portfolio.

BTL 2026 Opens as Biggest Edition Yet

Portugal's premier tourism fair, the Better Tourism Lisbon Travel Market, opened at the FIL in Parque das Nacoes with a record 1,700 exhibitors across 60,000 square metres. The event runs until 1 March, with public access from Friday at 17:00.

Tourism Revenues Targeted for 5.5% Growth

At the Visit Portugal Conference 2026, Secretary of State Pedro Machado said the government expects tourism revenues to grow at least 5.5% this year. He rejected claims of structural overtourism, pointing to AI and technology as tools for managing visitor flows. A new Tourism Strategy 2027 will be presented in coming weeks.

Rental Supply Up 11%, but Rural Areas Shrink

Data from Idealista shows rental housing supply in Portugal grew 11% in Q4 2025 year-on-year. Coimbra (+47%) and Aveiro (+45%) led gains among district capitals, while Guarda (-35%) and broader Aveiro district (-27%) saw sharp declines outside urban cores. Funchal also recorded a 14% drop.

Ventura Confirms Chega Leadership Bid

Andre Ventura announced he will run for re-election as Chega leader at the party's convention, proposed for 8-10 May. He rejected calls for moderation, saying Portugal needs a "disruptive, anti-system popular party." The convention will be Chega's first since its Constitutional Court-invalidated 2024 meeting.

Portuguese Pay Most for Medicines Among Peers

A new equity index from EQUALMED found that Portugal scores 52% on equitable access to medicines, the lowest among its benchmark countries. Portuguese citizens spend an average of 148.30 euros annually on drugs against an average salary of 20,451 euros. The study estimates 1,577 preventable deaths over the 2022-2025 period.

One-Third of Approved Medicines Never Reach Market

Related data from the same EQUALMED report reveals that approximately one-third of medicines authorised in Portugal never become commercially available, including drugs for critical conditions. The gap between regulatory approval and pharmacy availability remains a persistent challenge for patients and practitioners.