The Portugal Brief -- Daily Briefing, March 2, 2026

Economy: GDP Growth Confirmed at 1.9% for 2025

The National Institute of Statistics has confirmed that Portugal's economy grew 1.9% in real terms during 2025, following 2.2% growth in 2024. In nominal terms, GDP reached approximately 307 billion euros, a 5.9% increase. Domestic demand accelerated, but net external demand turned more negative as exports slowed more sharply than imports. The figures keep Portugal above the eurozone average, though the deceleration from 2024 warrants attention.

Presidential Inauguration: Seguro's Two-Day Programme Announced

President-elect Antonio Jose Seguro will be sworn in on March 9 at 10:00 in the Assembleia da Republica, with a second day of events on March 10 taking him to Arganil, Guimaraes and Porto. The expanded programme signals an intention to begin the presidency with a national, rather than Lisbon-centric, focus. Seguro won the runoff on February 8 with 66.84% of the vote.

Healthcare: Barreiro Obstetrics Emergency to Close

Health Minister Ana Paula Martins confirmed that the obstetrics emergency room at Barreiro Hospital will shut as part of a consolidation of maternity services on the Setubal Peninsula. Emergency obstetrics will be centralised at Garcia de Orta Hospital in Almada. Scheduled deliveries will continue at Barreiro. The minister cited a chronic shortage of specialists that had left staff under "inhuman" pressure.

Immigration: AIMA Wins Digital Transformation Award

Portugal's immigration and borders agency AIMA received the 2025 Digital Transformation Award from APDSI for its CLARA project, an AI-based system to manage email communications. The award comes as AIMA continues to modernise its operations, having recently launched a new Renewal Portal for residence permits. A parliamentary bid to decentralise AIMA operations was rejected last week.

Infrastructure: Court Upholds 111 Million Euro Dam Valuation

The Administrative and Tax Court of Mirandela ruled that the Miranda do Douro dam has a taxable asset value of over 111 million euros for property tax purposes, dismissing a challenge by concessionaire Movhera. The company argued that dams should not be classified as buildings for IMI purposes. This is the third such ruling in recent months, covering dams in Miranda do Douro and Mogadouro.

Culture: Festival da Cancao Finalists Announced

All ten finalists for the Festival da Cancao 2026 are now confirmed following Saturday's second semifinal. The grand final takes place on March 7, with the winner representing Portugal at the 70th Eurovision Song Contest in Vienna this May. Among the finalists: Nunca Mates o Mandarim with "Fumo," Marquise with "Chuva," and Andre Amaro with "Da-me a tua Mao."

Tourism: Azores Overnight Stays Down Nearly 10%

The Azores recorded a 9.9% reduction in overnight stays in tourist accommodation, according to the latest figures. The decline comes as the archipelago faces increased competition from other Atlantic island destinations and questions about air connectivity. The Algarve, by contrast, recently received recognition for its sustainability credentials in tourism.

Aviation: United Airlines Expands Lisbon-Washington Route

United Airlines is increasing capacity on its Lisbon-Washington flights, reflecting growing demand on transatlantic routes into Portugal. The expansion follows similar moves by other carriers and underscores Lisbon's continued attractiveness as a gateway for American travellers and the growing Portuguese diaspora in the United States.