Paulo Portas
State Minister
Minister of Foreign Affairs
Paulo Portas was born in 1962.
He is a Law graduate from the Portuguese Catholic University,
where he taught History of Political Thought in 1996.
Previously a journalist for Tempo, A Tarde and Semanário
newspapers and other media, he founded the weekly newspaper O
Independente in 1988, of which he was director. He also founded and
directed an opinion poll centre.
Political activity:
Leader of the Democratic and Social Centre - People's Party
(CDS-PP) (1998 - 2005 and 2007 - present); Member of the Portuguese
Parliament during the 1995, 1999, 2002, 2005, 2009 and 2011
parliamentary terms; Member of Parliamentary Foreign Affairs and
Defence Committees. CDS-PP Parliamentary Group Leader (1999 -
2001).
Minister of State and National Defence in the 15th and 16th
Constitutional Governments.
Member of the Council of State (2002 - 2005), High Council for
Homeland Security and High Council for National Defence.
Elected as Councillor on Lisbon City Council in 2001, elected as
Member of the European Parliament in 1999, elected as Member of the
Arouca Municipal Assembly in 2009.