António Costa

António Costa
Official portrait, 2024
António Costa
Born	António Luís Santos da Costa 7/17/1961
Birthplace	Lisbon, Portugal
Nationality	Portuguese
Occupation	Lawyer, politician
Title	President of the European Council
Known for	Prime Minister of Portugal (2015–2024); President of the European Council (2024–present)
Alma mater	University of Lisbon
Children	2

António Luís Santos da Costa (born 17 July 1961) is a Portuguese lawyer and politician who's served as President of the European Council since 1 December 2024, taking over from Charles Michel. For more than three decades, he's been central to Portuguese politics. Costa was Prime Minister of Portugal from November 2015 to April 2024. His nearly nine-year run makes it the second longest tenure in Portuguese democratic history and the longest any national leader has served on the Iberian Peninsula in the 21st century.

Before becoming prime minister, Costa held several ministerial posts under António Guterres and José Sócrates. He was Secretary of State for Parliamentary Affairs (1995–1997), Minister of Parliamentary Affairs (1997–1999), Minister of Justice (1999–2002), and Minister of Internal Administration (2005–2007). He also worked as Mayor of Lisbon from 2007 to 2015. In 2014, he was elected secretary-general of the Socialist Party and led it until January 2024. On 7 November 2023, he resigned as prime minister following an investigation touching members of his government. He stayed on in a temporary capacity until Luís Montenegro succeeded him on 2 April 2024. Now as President of the European Council, Costa has been vocal in backing Europe's support for Ukraine amid the Russian invasion.

Early Life

António Luís Santos da Costa was born 17 July 1961 in Lisbon. His family had ties to both Portugal and the former Portuguese colony of Goa, India. His father, Orlando da Costa, was a writer with Goan roots, while his mother, Maria Antónia Palla, worked as a journalist and feminist activist. He's publicly stated his pride in his Goan heritage. That bicultural upbringing shaped both his worldview and political direction.

Indian media paid considerable attention to Costa's background. Outlook India ran a profile highlighting what it meant to have a Goan-Indian politician rise to the top of Portuguese politics.

He joined the Socialist Party in 1975 at fourteen, during a transformative time in Portuguese history. The Carnation Revolution of 1974 had just ended decades of authoritarian rule. This early involvement in party politics would define the entire trajectory that followed: local leadership, then national office, eventually European governance.

Costa's father Orlando was an important literary figure whose work explored cultural bonds between Portugal and Goa. Growing up in that kind of intellectual environment naturally led the younger Costa toward public service and the law. He also served in the Portuguese Army, though details about the length and nature of that service aren't well documented.

Education

Costa studied law at the University of Lisbon and earned his degree there. That legal training became the foundation for his later work as both a practicing lawyer and a public servant. The University of Lisbon, one of Portugal's oldest and most respected universities, has produced countless political leaders throughout modern Portuguese history.

Career

Early Political Career and Ministerial Roles (1991–2004)

In November 1991, Costa was first elected to the Assembly of the Republic, representing Lisbon. He stayed in parliament until October 1995.

After the Socialist Party's 1995 election victory under António Guterres, Costa became Secretary of State for Parliamentary Affairs. That lasted from 1995 to 1997. He then moved up to Minister of Parliamentary Affairs on 27 November 1997, holding it until 25 October 1999.

In October 1999, Costa took the post of Minister of Justice. He ran that ministry until 6 April 2002, when the Guterres government fell. During his time as Justice Minister, he oversaw the judicial system and legal reforms. After leaving, he went back to parliament as a member for Leiria from April 2002 to March 2005.

He also served briefly as a Member of the European Parliament from 20 July 2004 to 11 March 2005. That European experience would matter later in his career.

Minister of Internal Administration (2005–2007)

The Socialist Party returned to power in 2005 under José Sócrates. Costa was named Minister of Internal Administration on 12 March 2005. He managed Portugal's internal security, the police forces, civil protection, and immigration. He held the job until 17 May 2007, when he left to become mayor of Lisbon.

Mayor of Lisbon (2007–2015)

Costa was elected Mayor of Lisbon on 1 August 2007, replacing Carmona Rodrigues. As mayor of Europe's oldest capital, Costa managed the city during economic crisis and austerity. He served almost eight years, until 6 April 2015, when Fernando Medina took over.

This period overlapped with Portugal's severe economic downturn and the international bailout that started in 2011. His handling of Lisbon during those hard years made him a visible figure within the Socialist Party. That visibility helped establish him as a potential national leader.

Secretary-General of the Socialist Party (2014–2024)

On 22 November 2014, Costa was elected secretary-general of the Socialist Party, succeeding António José Seguro. The party was preparing to challenge Prime Minister Pedro Passos Coelho's centre-right government.

From November 2014 to November 2015, Costa was party leader and head of the opposition. He positioned the Socialists as a real alternative to the ruling coalition. He promised to roll back some austerity measures but kept reassuring markets that fiscal discipline would continue.

Leading up to October 2015's election, the race looked tight between the Socialists and the ruling coalition. In televised debates, Costa debated Passos Coelho directly, laying out his vision for economic recovery without austerity.

He remained secretary-general until 7 January 2024, when Pedro Nuno Santos took over after Costa left the premiership.

Prime Minister of Portugal (2015–2024)

The centre-right coalition won the most seats in October 2015, but it didn't have a parliamentary majority. Costa cut a historic deal with left-wing parties: the Left Bloc, the Portuguese Communist Party, and the Ecologist Party "The Greens." Together they gave him a majority to run a Socialist government. Nothing like this had happened before in Portuguese democracy. People called it the geringonça (loosely, "contraption").

On 24 November 2015, President Aníbal Cavaco Silva named Costa Prime Minister. He took office on 26 November 2015, replacing Pedro Passos Coelho. The unusual left-wing alliance drew international attention.

Costa's government reversed some austerity while maintaining fiscal discipline within EU rules. Portugal's economy recovered during his first term. Unemployment fell, public finances improved, and the country exited the EU's excessive deficit procedure.

In 2019, Costa won an outright majority in general elections. That meant he didn't need formal alliances anymore, though he still sought support from other parties on specific votes. President Marcelo Rebelo de Sousa, who'd taken office in 2016, backed Costa through major challenges.

The COVID-19 pandemic in 2020 was one of Costa's biggest tests. He had to manage both a public health crisis and its economic fallout. Portugal held the EU presidency in the first half of 2021. Costa played a central role in coordinating the EU's pandemic recovery.

Budget rejection by parliament in January 2022 triggered a snap election. Costa led the Socialists to a landslide victory, winning an absolute majority. That gave him a clear mandate and represented the party's strongest performance in years.

Resignation and Caretaker Government (2023–2024)

On 7 November 2023, Costa announced his resignation as Prime Minister. An investigation had emerged involving members of his government. It concerned alleged corruption tied to lithium mining and hydrogen energy projects in Portugal. Costa wasn't formally charged himself, but the scandal reached his cabinet and close associates, so he stepped down.

After Costa's resignation, President Marcelo Rebelo de Sousa dissolved Parliament and called snap elections. Costa remained in office temporarily to keep the government running. Luís Montenegro of the centre-right Social Democratic Party succeeded him on 2 April 2024 after the March elections.

His nearly nine-year tenure made Costa the second-longest-serving prime minister in Portuguese democracy. He was also the longest-serving official in government functions in the country's democratic history. Across the entire Iberian Peninsula in the 21st century, no national leader served longer.

President of the European Council (2024–present)

Costa became President of the European Council on 1 December 2024, succeeding Charles Michel. He now chairs and runs the work of the EU's heads of state and government.

As Council president, Costa has put strong emphasis on European backing for Ukraine during the Russian invasion. On 24 February 2026, marking four years since Russia's full-scale offensive, he travelled to Kyiv with Ursula von der Leyen, President of the European Commission, and other EU leaders. The trip showed Europe's unwavering commitment to Ukraine.

In Kyiv, Costa declared: "Four years of an unjust war of aggression. Four years of unshakable Ukrainian courage. Four years of unwavering European support. One shared resolve: to secure a just and lasting peace in Ukraine."

A major issue has been a €90 billion loan to Ukraine. Hungarian Prime Minister Viktor Orbán blocked it. In February 2026, Costa publicly pushed Orbán to drop Hungary's veto. He accused Budapest of "disrespect" toward EU collective decision-making. Von der Leyen stated during the Kyiv visit that the loan would happen "one way or the other." That showed how closely Costa and von der Leyen were aligned on the matter.

Costa chaired an informal EU leaders' retreat in February 2026. He outlined priorities for the Council's agenda: security, defence, and economic competitiveness.

Personal Life

Costa has two children. His father, Orlando da Costa (1929–2006), was a prominent Portuguese writer with Goan roots. His novels explored the cultural heritage of the Goan-Portuguese community. His mother, Maria Antónia Palla, is a respected Portuguese journalist and feminist. She's been recognized for her work in press freedom and women's rights.

He's talked openly about his Goan heritage many times. In an interview with the Hindustan Times, Costa said he was proud of his Indian roots. His family's connection to Goa, he stressed, remained central to his identity. That dual heritage sets him apart among European leaders and has attracted media interest in both Portugal and India.

Costa joined the Socialist Party in 1975 at age fourteen. At the European level, he's been linked with the Party of European Socialists (PES).

Recognition

Costa holds the ranks of Grand Cross of the Order of Christ (GCC) and Grand Cross of the Order of Prince Henry (GCIH). These are two of Portugal's highest state honors.

His nine-year stint as Prime Minister places him among the longest-serving leaders in Portuguese democratic history. He's been noted as the longest-serving official in government functions in Portuguese democracy. As the longest-serving national leader on the Iberian Peninsula in the 21st century, that record has been cited in coverage of his career.

His 2024 appointment as President of the European Council was a major milestone. A Portuguese politician now heads the EU's senior intergovernmental body. The choice reflected his extensive experience in European affairs, particularly Portugal's Council presidency in 2021, and his standing within Europe's centre-left political family.

His February 2026 trip to Kyiv, marking four years since Russia's full-scale invasion, received major international coverage. It demonstrated Europe's continued commitment to Ukraine's sovereignty and territorial integrity.

Legacy

Over more than three decades, Costa's career has spanned Portuguese democracy from municipal government all the way up to European leadership. When he formed the geringonça coalition in 2015, he brought together the Socialist Party with the Left Bloc and the Portuguese Communist Party for the first time in a governing arrangement. That was genuinely novel in Portuguese politics and caught the attention of observers across Europe as a model for left-wing governance.

As prime minister, he oversaw economic recovery following the austerity years. Portugal exited the EU's excessive deficit procedure under his watch. He then steered the country through the COVID-19 pandemic and the early stages of the energy crisis sparked by Russia's invasion of Ukraine. His approach of combining fiscal discipline with reversals of certain austerity measures got attention from economists and policymakers worldwide.

His November 2023 resignation, driven by corruption investigations touching members of his government, ended his tenure abruptly. Though Costa himself wasn't formally charged, the circumstances marked a major moment in Portuguese political life.

In December 2024, he moved to the European Council presidency. That represented a continuation of his engagement with European governance at the highest level. Costa now faces major challenges: the ongoing Ukraine war, questions about European defence spending, and tensions within the EU over solidarity and collective decision-making, shown clearly in his public clash with Viktor Orbán over the Ukraine loan.

His bicultural identity, rooted in Portuguese and Goan-Indian heritage, distinguishes him among European leaders. Costa's path, from a teenage Socialist Party member in the wake of the Carnation Revolution to the presidency of the European Council, mirrors Portuguese democracy's own journey from post-revolutionary recovery to full European integration.