Former President Marcelo Rebelo de Sousa Is Hospitalised in Faro After Fainting in the Algarve, Then Discharged the Same Night

Marcelo Rebelo de Sousa, who stepped down as President of the Portuguese Republic earlier this year, was taken to hospital in the Algarve on Wednesday after briefly losing consciousness during lunch, before being discharged the same evening in good health. The 77-year-old former head of state fainted at around 2.30pm at a restaurant in Monte Gordo, on the eastern Algarve coast, and was carried by ambulance to the Hospital de Faro, where he was placed under observation in the intensive care unit.

The episode lasted only a few minutes. In a statement released through his office, the Unidade Local de Saúde do Algarve (Algarve Local Health Unit) said the former president "underwent several complementary diagnostic exams" and was "accompanied by the clinical team" before being cleared to leave. He left the hospital at about 9.30pm. "After medical evaluation, Marcelo Rebelo de Sousa was discharged and is now outside the hospital unit," the note read.

"A very intense day of beach and exercise"

Speaking to reporters, Marcelo played down the scare and attributed the faint — a syncope, or lipotimia in Portuguese medical shorthand — to the summer heat and a busy day off. He had had, he said, "a very intense day of beach and exercise." Doctors have long noted that such episodes can be triggered by a combination of prolonged fasting, high temperatures and dehydration, a familiar risk during an Algarve August.

The former president used the same statement to thank the health professionals of the ULS do Algarve and the national emergency service INEM, as well as "everyone who sent messages of support and wishes for a good recovery." The health unit, for its part, thanked "all the professionals involved for the prompt response and care provided."

It is not the first time Marcelo's health has made headlines. In July 2023, while still in office, he suffered a similar fainting episode during a visit to a university, later reassuring the public that his condition was under control and famously describing his health as "a public good." A law professor and television commentator before entering Belém, he remains one of the most recognisable and closely followed public figures in Portugal, and news of his hospitalisation spread quickly across Portuguese media on Wednesday afternoon.

What This Means for Expats

• A reassuring outcome: Despite the ICU stay, the former president was discharged the same night and described himself as feeling well. This was a precautionary admission, not an emergency with lasting consequences.
• The system responded fast: INEM and the Algarve health unit moved him quickly and ran a full set of tests — a useful reminder of how the emergency chain works in a region where many foreign residents and holidaymakers live.
• Heat is not harmless: Fainting from dehydration and exertion is common in the Algarve summer. Older residents and visitors should pace beach days, keep hydrated and avoid the midday sun.
• A public figure you will keep hearing about: Now out of office, Marcelo remains a prominent commentator on Portuguese life, so his name will continue to feature in the national conversation.

For now, the story ends well: a brief fright on a hot afternoon, a night of tests, and a former president back on his feet before bedtime.