Portugal - November 2023

On 7 November, Prime Minister António Costa resigned after he was implicated in a corruption probe, known as “Operation Influencer,” involving domestic lithium mining and green hydrogen production contracts. The Public Prosecution Service ordered raids of the Prime Minister’s official residence and the Environment and Infrastructure ministries. Days later, President Marcelo Rebelo de Sousa called snap elections to be held on 10 March 2024, and Costa will serve as caretaking Prime Minister until then. Costa has been Prime Minister since 2015, and his Socialist Party secured an absolute majority in snap elections in January 2022. Several other officials were indicted as part of the probe on charges of corruption and malfeasance, which the presiding judge has since narrowed down to influence peddling. These officials include Infrastructure Minister João Galamba, the head of the Portuguese environmental protection agency APA, and Costa’s chief of staff.

Sources: Euronews (1), Euronews (2), DW, Renascenca (1), Renascenca (2), Público