Upcoming Government will have more women than men as Ministers

The Portuguese Prime Minister António Costa sent the Portuguese President Marcelo Rebelo de Sousa the new members of Government, following on from the elections.

The Government has the following Ministers:

• Presidency - Mariana Vieira da Silva; 

• Foreign Affairs - João Gomes Cravinho; 

• Defence - Helena Carreiras; 

• Home Affairs - José Luís Carneiro; 

• Justice - Catarina Sarmento e Castro; 

• Finance - Fernando Medina; 

• Minister in the Cabinet of the Prime Minister and for Parliamentary Affairs - Ana Catarina Mendes; 

• Economy and Maritime Affairs - António Costa Silva; 

• Culture - Pedro Adão e Silva; 

• Science, Technology and Higher Education - Elvira Fortunato; 

• Education - João Costa; 

• Labour, Solidarity and Social Security - Ana Mendes Godinho; 

• Health - Marta Temido; 

• Environment and Climate Action - Duarte Cordeiro; 

• Infrastructure and Housing - Pedro Nuno Santos; 

• Territorial Cohesion - Ana Abrunhosa; 

• Agriculture and Food - Maria do Céu Antunes.

The following are of note:

• For the first time in Portuguese history, there is a female minister of Defence

• For the first time there are more women than men as ministers  

• The cut of around 20% in Government

• This will be the smallest Government ever for Prime Minister António Costa and one of the smallest during the democratic period

• It will be a veritable taskforce for growth and recovery

• The government’s profile is determining for cohesion in decision-making and political agility

• The Prime Minister will have Digitalisation and Administrative Modernisation, as well as European Affairs under his direct charge.

The Secretaries of State will be announced at a later date.

The Government will take office once the official elections map is published and following the first meeting in Parliament.