Lisbon, Sept. 14, 2026 (Lusa) - Political parties continue to play a decisive role in appointing ministers, and they are increasingly selecting qualified, technical candidates alongside political figures, according to a study published by the Francisco Manuel dos Santos Foundation on Monday.
The study, entitled «Who Governs Portugal? Ministerial profiles from a comparative perspective», which researchers António Costa Pinto and Marcelo Camerlo coordinated, analysed the profiles of all Portuguese ministers from 1976 to 2025 and compared the Portuguese case with other southern European democracies, such as Spain, Italy and Greece.
Speaking to the Lusa news agency, political scientist António Costa Pinto emphasised that, in the Portuguese case, the tendency for governments to recruit ministers from civil society «has become established».
«What is the most recent difference that our study highlights? It is that even ministers who come from political parties now have a profile better suited to their portfolios,» he stressed.
In other words, on the whole, ministers are better qualified for the portfolios they take on, whether they come from civil society or are party members. The study showed, however, that this increase in technical profiles has not led to a reduction in political profiles: «Despite growing pressures in favour of specialisation, political parties continue to dominate ministerial appointments in Portugal».
«The ‘party brotherhood' continues to shape ministerial recruitment — not as a rigid legacy, but as an adaptive framework through which Portuguese governments integrate specialisation while maintaining political control. In this sense, the Portuguese case adds ‘nuances' to broader theories on the technocratisation of European governments, showing that technical competence can be institutionalised within, rather than against, the logic of party-led government», the study stated.
The analysis divides Portuguese ministers from 1976 to 2025 into four ministerial types: ‘external', ‘expert', ‘political-specialist', and, finally, ‘political'.
Portuguese democracy, according to the authors, is characterised by the predominance of the hybrid «politician-specialist» profile and by the fact that «non-partisan ministers» are often «semi-partisan», that is, «individuals without formal party affiliation, but with recognisable links to parties».
«Thus, party politics remains a defining feature, integrating in a balanced way with technical competence, which is incorporated into party structures and the process of selecting the ministerial elite, rather than being at odds with them,» they conclude.
One «of the driving forces that demanded greater specialisation from government officials», noted António Costa Pinto, was the process of accession to the European Union in 1986.
Higher qualifications may positively affect public policy formulation, but the researcher emphasised that decisions always depend on political institutions, such as parliament and the nature of the government (majority or minority).
«The minister for labour may well be a staunch advocate of labour market reform in their capacity as a professor of labour law, but it is parliament and the social partners who decide,» he explained.
The study's coordinator also highlighted that political ministers have, on average, shorter political careers, either because they go on to hold other posts or because of potential party conflicts, whereas independent or semi-independent ministers remain in office longer, on average.
As for the allocation of ministerial portfolios, party loyalty once again emerges as a determining factor: parties may appear more willing to «cede some control» in certain areas, while retaining key areas such as Foreign Affairs, «which involve high-risk decisions, where political trust and loyalty are indispensable».
Conversely, portfolios such as Energy, the Environment or Transport tend to be held by more experts. Finance emerges as a ministry that «generally always combines political trust with technical expertise», emphasised António Costa Pinto.
The study also revealed differences between the PS and the PSD: analysing the composition of all constitutional governments since 1976, the Socialists tended to include more specialists in their governments, whilst the PSD showed a greater tendency towards «experienced political figures».
Another conclusion is that, in Portugal, ministerial careers are relatively short, «below the averages recorded in some European countries», with a Portuguese minister remaining in office for an average of around 600 days.
ARL/ADB // ADB.
Lusa
