Presidency of the Council of Ministers (Portugal)

Presidency of the Council of Ministers
Presidência do Conselho de Ministros
Ministry overview
Formed2 August 1950 (1950-08-02)
JurisdictionGovernment of Portugal
HeadquartersRua Prof. Gomes Teixeira,
Campo de Ourique, Lisbon
Minister responsible
Websiteportugal.gov.pt/presidencia

The Presidency of the Council of Ministers (Portuguese: Presidência do Conselho de Ministros) is the cabinet department of the Government of Portugal. Its mission is to provide support to the Council of Ministers, the Prime Minister and the other members of the cabinet organically integrated in the department. It is also responsible for the promotion of inter-ministerial coordination of the various government departments, and it integrates miscellaneous services that are in the direct dependence of the Prime Minister or that do not sit well in other departments.

The department is headed by the Minister of the Presidency (Portuguese: Ministro da Presidência), who is generically responsible for the coordination of inter-ministerial policies and objectives. The current Minister of the Presidency, since 2024, is António Leitão Amaro.

The Minister of the Presidency often takes on responsibility for areas of policy which are the priority of the Government of the time. At present, the Organic Law of the XXIV Constitutional Government charges the Minister of the Presidency with policy in the areas of migration governance and public administration, namely the management of the civil service and public services.[1]

History

The Presidency of the Council of Ministers grew as an executive superstructure with the beginning of the Estado Novo regime, especially after the Constitution of 1933 came into force, as a mechanism to centralise political power and reinforce government authority. The 1950s and 1960s saw a growing government bureaucracy to overcome the new challenges in economic policy, public safety and national defence, in the context of the post-war international situation, of Portugal's NATO membership, and of the Colonial War.[2]

In 1950, in the context of a government reshuffle, the new position of Minister of the Presidency was created; the Minister was responsible for the oversight and management of the services directly dependent of the Prime Minister (at the time known by the official title of "President of the Council of Ministers").[2]

Since then, the position of Minister of the Presidency ceased to be in use in four distinct periods: 1961–1987, 1995, 1997–1999, and 2011–2013. In other periods, the position changed its name due to the incumbent accumulating further responsibilities: between 2013 and 2015, it was called Minister of the Presidency and Parliamentary Affairs (Ministro da Presidência e dos Assuntos Parlamentares), briefly, in 2015, it was called Minister of the Presidency and Regional Development (Ministro da Presidência e do Desenvolvimento Regional), between 2015 and 2019, Minister of the Presidency and Administrative Modernisation (Ministro da Presidência e da Modernização Administrativa), and, between 2019 and 2022, Minister of State and the Presidency (Ministra de Estado e da Presidência).

Current organisation

In accordance with the Organic Law of the XXIV Constitutional Government, the Presidency of the Council of Ministers comprises the following members of the Government:[1]

  • Minister of the Presidency
    • Secretary of State for the Presidency of the Council of Ministers
    • Secretary of State Adjunct for the Presidency
  • Minister in the Cabinet of the Prime Minister and for Territorial Cohesion
    • Secretary of State for Planning and Regional Development
    • Secretary of State for Local Administration and Land Planning
  • Minister of Parliamentary Affairs
    • Secretary of State Adjunct for Parliamentary Affairs
    • Secretary of State for Sport
  • Minister of Infrastructure and Housing
    • Secretary of State for Infrastructure
    • Secretary of State for Mobility
    • Secretary of State for Housing
  • Minister of Youth and Modernisation
    • Secretary of State Adjunct and for Equality
    • Secretary of State for Modernisation and Digitalisation

The Presidency of the Council of Ministers also provides support to the dependent services of the Prime Minister, as well as those of the Minister of the Presidency, Minister in the Cabinet of the Prime Minister and for Territorial Cohesion, Minister of Parliamentary Affairs, Minister of Infrastructure and Housing, and the Minister of Culture.[1]

List of ministers (since 1974)

# Portrait Name Took office Left office Party Prime Minister
1 Fernando Nogueira
(b. 1950)
17 August 1987 16 March 1995
PSD Aníbal Cavaco Silva
Vacant office
As Minister Adjuct:
- Luís Marques Mendes (1995)
16 March 1995 28 October 1995
2 António Vitorino
(b. 1957)
28 October 1995 25 November 1997
PS António Guterres
Vacant office
As Minister Adjunct:
- José Sócrates (1997–1999)
25 November 1997 25 October 1999
3 Jorge Coelho
(1954–2021)
25 October 1999 14 September 2000
PS
4 Guilherme d'Oliveira Martins
(b. 1957)
14 September 2000 6 April 2002
Ind.
5 Nuno Morais Sarmento
(1961–2026)
6 April 2002 12 March 2005
PSD José Durão Barroso
Pedro Santana Lopes
6 Pedro Silva Pereira
(b. 1962)
12 March 2005 21 June 2011
PS José Sócrates
Vacant office
As Minister Adjunct:
- Miguel Relvas (2011–2013)
21 June 2011 13 April 2013 Pedro Passos Coelho
7 Luís Marques Guedes
(b. 1957)
13 April 2013 26 November 2015
PSD
8 Maria Manuel Leitão Marques
(b. 1952)
26 November 2015 18 February 2019
PS António Costa
9 Mariana Vieira da Silva
(b. 1978)
18 February 2019 2 April 2024
PS
10 António Leitão Amaro
(b. 1980)
2 April 2024 present
PSD Luís Montenegro

References

  1. ^ a b c "Regime de organização e funcionamento do XXIV Governo Constitucional". diariodarepublica.pt. Retrieved 2024-05-10.
  2. ^ a b "Presidência do Conselho de Ministros". Arquivo Nacional da Torre do Tombo. Retrieved 2 May 2020.