The death of Odair Moniz during a police operation last year has contributed to the growing risk to personal security in Portugal, as assessed by the Global State of Democracy 2025 Report.
Portugal has dropped one position in the Rule of Law category, falling to 33rd among 173 countries, now ranking behind Lithuania and Israel.
Conversely, Portugal moved up to 13th in the Representation ranking, 37th in the Rights index, and 55th in terms of Participation.
The report, released today, references the death of Odair Moniz in October 2024, which sparked protests and violent popular unrest, and cites the United Nations Committee on the Elimination of Racial Discrimination, expressing “concern over the excessive use of force by Portuguese police, particularly against people of African descent.”
“We have recorded declines in what we describe as personal integrity and security in Portugal. This is essentially related to how the state uses violence,” stated Alexander Hudson, one of the report’s authors from the International Institute for Democracy and Electoral Assistance (International IDEA).
Although this indicator reportedly showed slight improvement statistically last year, Hudson told Agência Lusa there have been declines between 2019 and 2024.
“There was a slight recovery in 2024, but it’s still an overall trajectory of decline,” he warned.
A PSP officer is expected to go on trial in October, accused of the homicide of Odair Moniz with two shots in Cova da Moura, Amadora, in October last year.
According to the indictment, the 43-year-old Cape Verdean resident in Bairro do Zambujal attempted to flee the police and resist arrest, but there was no verified threat involving a bladed weapon, contradicting the official statement released by the National Directorate of PSP.
The report also points to deterioration in press freedom and increasing economic inequality in Portugal.
The Global State of Democracy Report is produced annually by the International Institute for Democracy and Electoral Assistance (International IDEA), based in Stockholm, using information from 22 institutional sources, including the UN.
The study employs a total of 154 indicators to rank 173 countries across four main categories of democratic performance: Representation, Rights, Rule of Law, and Participation.
