The Portugal Brief -- Daily Briefing, 25 February 2026

New Interior Minister Takes Office, Signals Immigration Crackdown

Luís Neves, former director of the Polícia Judiciária, was sworn in as Minister of Internal Administration on Monday. The government has asked the Attorney General to create special teams to investigate illegal immigration and human trafficking, signalling a tougher enforcement posture.

February Becomes Rainiest Month in 47 Years

IPMA confirmed that the first fortnight of February made this the wettest month since 1979. Accumulated rainfall since October reached 905.6 mm — 1.8 times the historical average. The highest wind gust recorded was 177.8 km/h at Monte Real air base. More than half of Portugal's districts have already exceeded their annual rainfall averages.

Storm Recovery Plan Takes Shape

The Council of Ministers approved the outline of the PTRR, a decade-long domestic recovery framework running until 2034. The final budget will be determined after consultations with political parties and regional governments, expected to begin in March. The European Commission confirmed it will exclude most storm-related spending from fiscal compliance calculations.

Transport Network Still Badly Disrupted

Infraestruturas de Portugal reports 44 road sections remain closed and key rail lines including the Douro and Beira Baixa are still out of service. While 98% of the 4,200-plus incidents have been addressed, full recovery is not expected until late 2026. Commuters and freight operators in central Portugal face ongoing detours.

Portugal Marks Four Years of Ukraine War

Foreign Minister Paulo Rangel and parliamentary president Aguiar-Branco issued statements reaffirming Portugal's support for Ukraine on the fourth anniversary of Russia's full-scale invasion. Portugal hosts a significant Ukrainian community and has provided humanitarian, financial, and military support since 2022.

Historic Monuments Reopen After Storm Damage

The Convento de Cristo in Tomar and the Mosteiro da Batalha will reopen to the public on Friday after closures caused by storm damage. Museus e Monumentos de Portugal confirmed that structural assessments have been completed and both UNESCO World Heritage sites are now deemed safe for visitors.

Housing Supply Continues to Shrink

Data from idealista shows the stock of homes for sale in Portugal fell 13% in Q4 2025 compared to the previous year. Porto and Bragança recorded the steepest declines at 27%, followed by Faro at 25%. Only Santarém and Viana do Castelo saw modest increases in available properties.

Leiria Region Looks to Tourism Fair for Post-Storm Recovery

The Leiria region is using its presence at BTL 2026, Portugal's main tourism fair, to signal recovery and resilience after the devastating impact of Storm Kristin. Local officials described the fair as "a starting point for renewed hope," emphasising solidarity and reconstruction efforts underway across the territory.