In a statement on Monday evening on SIC Notícias, Miguel Prata Roque suggested that the current government should express gratitude to the previous administration for Portugal’s recognition as the “economy of the year” by the British magazine “The Economist”.
The socialist emphasized that this is “excellent news” and all positive developments concerning the Portuguese economy should be warmly welcomed.
Prata Roque noted that this distinction “reflects some consistency in public policies over the past years” and not just the actions of the past year and eight months under the current right-leaning government.
“The current government wouldn’t be remiss in thanking the previous administration for several of those same policies,” he stated, highlighting that the evaluated criteria included GDP and inflation.
Regarding GDP, the jurist pointed out that Portugal is “above the European average because the country has a larger active population, which is largely due to policies this government often criticizes, such as the fact that 40% of the tourism and agriculture sectors employ immigrant workers.”
Addressing the issue of inflation in Portugal being “more controlled than in some other countries,” Prata Roque argued that the nation has “managed to control price increases through two means: by reducing energy dependence on fossil fuels thanks to significant investments in renewables by socialist governments, and through the tax brakes on petroleum products set by the previous government, which the current administration, under pressure from the European Union (EU), is beginning to lift.”
For the former Secretary of State for the Presidency of the Council of Ministers in António Costa’s first government, the problem is that “the country is better off” but “many Portuguese do not feel this improvement.”
“We cannot only measure GDP, it needs to be adjusted to understand what each Portuguese citizen individually benefits from this productivity increase. My concern is that productivity gains are not reflected in the lives of those who rely on their work to live, and this is an effort all governments must make. The current government says: first, we need economic growth before redistributing. I await those redistributive measures,” he remarked.
It should be noted that the British magazine “The Economist” recognizes Portugal as the “economy of the year” for 2025.
Portugal is the “economy of the year” for 2025 according to the British magazine “The Economist” – prompting various reactions. Prime Minister Luís Montenegro highlighted that the distinction is a “just acknowledgment of the merit and work of the Portuguese people,” while the Minister of Economy, Manuel Castro Almeida, stressed that our country has not transformed from “poor to rich.” How did the candidates for Belém position themselves?
Notícias ao Minuto with Lusa | 21:14 – 08/12/2025
The Prime Minister, Luís Montenegro, emphasized that the accolade is a “just acknowledgment of the merit and work of the Portuguese people,” while the Minister of Economy, Manuel Castro Almeida, pointed out that the country has not transitioned from being “poor to rich.”
