The Portugal Brief

Politics

Cabinet Files the Final Trabalho XXI Text in the Assembleia After 50 Amendments — Fixed-Term Cap Restored to Three Years, Individual Hour Bank Returns at 50 Hours a Week, Father's Birth Leave Doubles to 14 Days, Parental Subsidy Splits at 90% and 100%

Cabinet sent the Trabalho XXI labour-reform proposal to parliament on Thursday with 50+ amendments to the August draft, 12 sourced from UGT. Fixed-term cap restored to three years, hour bank reinstated at 50 hours a week, father's birth leave doubles to 14 days, parental subsidy splits at 90/100%.

14 May 2026

Markets Briefing

Markets, Business & Tech Briefing: PSI Climbs +0.57% to 9,124 on BCP-Led Bid, Mota-Engil Bond More Than Doubles to €110 Million at 4.60%, Solverde and Barrière Split the Espinho-Póvoa Casino Concessions

The latest Portugal news, analysis, and what it means for expats and residents.

14 May 2026

Business

Ibersol Pays €5.97 Million for a 75% Stake in Ten Galicia KFC Restaurants — Lisbon-Listed Operator Closes Gallaecia Buy-Out at a €9.6 Million Valuation, Iberian-and-Angolan Network Now 562 Units

Ibersol completed the buy-out of Gallaecia's KFC franchise in Galicia on 27 March 2026, paying €5.97 million for the remaining 75% of six companies running ten KFC restaurants. The deal values the group at €9.6 million. Lisbon-listed Ibersol now runs 562 units across Portugal, Spain and Angola.

14 May 2026

Economy

National Airports Handle 14.5 Million Passengers in Q1 2026, Up 3.9% Year-on-Year — Porto Posts 8.3% Growth, Brazilian Traffic Surges Past 20% While French Volumes Drop Almost 12%

Portugal's national airport network handled 14.5 million passengers in Q1 2026, up 3.9% YoY. Porto led growth at 8.3%, Lisbon held 54.2% share at 7.9 million, Brazilian routes surged over 20% while French volumes fell almost 12%. Freight slipped 0.3% to 59,981 tonnes.

14 May 2026

Economy

Portuguese Vehicle Output Climbs 14.2% in April 2026 to 31,084 Units — Year-to-Date Production Hits 116,352 With 98.4% Heading to Export Markets, Germany Leads at 19.9% of the Mix

Portugal's automotive sector assembled 31,084 vehicles in April 2026, up 14.2% year-on-year. ACAP reports year-to-date output of 116,352 units (+7.3%), with 98.4% of April production exported — Germany leads the destination mix at 19.9%, followed by Turkey, Italy and France.

14 May 2026

ANACOM

Anacom Sits on €440 Million of Unrevested 5G Auction Revenue Five Years After the Leilão Closed — Tesouro Transfer Still Waits on a Government Portaria That Has Never Been Signed

Five years after the 5G spectrum auction closed in October 2021 — and with most of Portuguese territory now under 5G coverage — Anacom is still holding €440 million of the auction's revenue, awaiting a government portaria that authorises transfer to the State Treasury.

14 May 2026

Porto

STCP Walks Its 2025 Operational Year Out at 71.8 Million Passengers and €2.9 Million Lucro Líquido — Porto's Public Transport Operator Books a Second Consecutive Year in the Black

STCP — Sociedade de Transportes Colectivos do Porto — closed the 2025 operational year at 71.8 million passengers carried and a €2.9 million lucro líquido, posting a second consecutive year in the black against a heavy fleet-electrification and Andante-integration capex tape.

14 May 2026