The Prime Minister, Luís Montenegro, met this Friday, September 19, with his predecessor and current President of the European Council, António Costa, to discuss the priorities for next year for both Portugal and Europe.
Following the meeting, the Head of Government shared a photograph shaking hands with António Costa, revealing the topics under discussion.
“Today I met with the President of the European Council, António Costa, during his tour of European capitals. We discussed our priorities for the coming year, focusing especially on housing, economic competitiveness, and Ukraine. A common future is built in each country—and Portugal is at the forefront of the European project!” the Portuguese Prime Minister wrote.
António Costa and Luís Montenegro were together on the morning of this Friday at the Pavilhão Rosa Mota, on the second day of the Porto Social Forum, an event gathering two hundred international leaders where strategies are discussed to ensure quality jobs in a Europe that wants to remain social but also needs to be increasingly competitive.
Reuni hoje com o @eucopresident, António Costa, no quadro da sua ronda pelas capitais Europeias. Discutimos as nossas prioridades para o próximo ano, com foco especial na habitação, na competitividade económica e na Ucrânia. O futuro comum constrói-se em cada país — e Portugal… pic.twitter.com/RvKwdU6FwV
— Luís Montenegro (@LMontenegro_PT) September 19, 2025
The two politicians opened the morning speeches in Porto, where António Costa concludes his tour of the capitals of the 27 European Union (EU) countries to discuss the agenda for the next European Council meeting on October 23 and 24.
During his speech, António Costa remarked that “the principles of a social Europe are like a marathon, with social Europe and competitive Europe being two sides of the same coin, based on qualified human resources and decent work.” The President of the European Council also emphasized housing, calling it a fundamental pillar. “Affordable housing has become one of the most urgent challenges in member states and is absolutely essential to ensure social cohesion and the sustainability of democracies in Europe. There’s nothing more that fuels populism than a sense of abandonment, the lack of future prospects faced by the new generations, especially when they seek their first homes to build their lives,” Costa highlighted.
Meanwhile, Montenegro stressed the importance of more accommodating labor legislation, “friendlier.” “We are also focused on the competitiveness of our economy and productivity, opening the possibility in Portugal to have legislation even friendlier to work, employment quality, and economic competitiveness as a path to improve salary conditions, protect workers, and balance professional and family life,” said the Prime Minister.
