Friday Briefing: What do the Portuguese think about immigration?

Good morning and welcome to PORTUGAL DECODED. A new Immigration Barometer revealed this week that the Portuguese have mixed feelings about immigration. Here are its key takeaways.

TALK OF THE TOWN

Illustration: Brendan Lynch | Axios

POLITICS

Should a military officer run for President? This week, Admiral Gouveia e Melo sparked debate with his early retirement announcement - the clearest indication yet that he will run for the Presidency in 2026 (More).

Talking about holidays’ drama: in a speech this week, President Marcelo criticized PM Montenegro’s political approach and pointed out that Portugal’s current economic stability owes much to António Costa’s Government (More).

SOCIETY

Yesterday, Parliament approved a proposal by the two major parties in the AD Government to revoke free access to the National Health Service (SNS) for irregular foreign citizens and non-residents (More).

Ground handlers at Portuguese airports have called a 24-hour strike on December 24 and 31 as well as overtime strikes from December 24 through January 2, which will likely cause significant disruptions to baggage processing (More).

ECONOMICS

The Portuguese Government has launched a new initiative to train immigrants for careers in tourism, offering to pay them a €522.5 monthly stipend during the training period (More).

The Well-Being Index of the Portuguese population increased again last year, coming close to pre-pandemic levels, thanks mainly to the favourable evolution of personal security, education and material well-being indicators (More).

CULTURE AND SPORTS

The European Commission launched infringement proceedings against Portugal on Monday over “discriminatory rules” allowing only residents free access to museums, monuments and palaces 52 days a year (More).

The animated film Percebes (“Goose Barnacles”), by Laura Gonçalves and Alexandra Ramires, has been shortlisted for a nomination for the 2025 Oscars, the United States Film Academy revealed on Wednesday (More).

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DECODER

What is the Immigration Barometer?

The “Immigration Barometer” is a new opinion study conducted by the Francisco Manuel dos Santos Foundation, with the primary goal of gauging the perceptions, opinions, and attitudes of the Portuguese population regarding immigrants. The 2024 report, published this week on the occasion of International Migrants Day, which was celebrated on Wednesday, is based on 1,072 interviews with Portuguese nationals by birth, over 18 years old, conducted between June and August. The full barometer can be accessed, in Portuguese only, here.

How did the researchers interpret the data?

According to the authors, the “respondents seem to have conflicting feelings about immigration: a large proportion consider it more of a threat than an opportunity, while more than two thirds of respondents (68%) agree that they are fundamental to the country’s economic life”. This figure is eight percentage points higher than in a similar study conducted in 2010. One of the authors, Pedro Góis, told Observador that public policies should respond to concerns about the integration of immigrants, particularly those from the Indian subcontinent, who are viewed less positively.

Did civic society react to the data?

Yes. Eugénia Quaresma, Director of the Portuguese Catholic Migration Organization (OCPM), said that the data “are surprising, on one hand, and on the other, (…) makes us reflect on whether xenophobia is at play here or if it is an unknown fear.” The OCPM Director argued that immigrants should not “remain isolated or confined solely to their community”, emphasizing the need for more interaction. The Director of the catholic organization believes this is a task that can be carried out by various entities “that assist migrants, such as local councils and parish councils,” but it also requires a “willingness to meet and engage” from the public.

Anyone else?

The Government also reacted. The Minister for the Presidency, who has the migration portfolio, said on Wednesday that the Government agrees with the Portuguese people’s assessment of the immigration policies in Portugal as expressed in the barometer. “The Portuguese were absolutely right about the regime that was in force until this summer and until this government came in,” emphasized Minister António Leitão Amaro, referring to the expression of interest that was abolished by the current executive. In addition to this “open door” policy, Leitão Amaro argued that there is also ‘agreement’ on the need to strengthen supervision and control, after the Foreigners and Borders Service (SEF) was abolished.

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TIPS OF THE WEEK

Lisbon

Snob Bar

After a painstaking refurbishment to keep everything the same, the iconic Snob bar in Lisbon’s Rua do Século re-opened this week. Originally opened in 1964, it quickly became a for intellectuals, journalists, artists and politicians. Its location in Bairro Alto, where many newspaper offices were based, made it a favourite meeting place for journalists, politicians and intellectuals. It was frequented by writers such as José Saramago and José Cardoso Pires, filmmakers, musicians and actors, as well as almost all the Presidents of the Republic and several Ministers. Snob (Rua do Século, 178, Lisbon. Tel. 926459164) is open every day from 19h00 to 2h00, with the kitchen closing at 1h00.

Porto

Christmas Concert

The famous Winter Dreams polka and the music for the film The Blizzard set the stage for two Christmas tales with music by Rimsky-Korsakov. The stories of Christmas Eve and the snow girl who melts upon discovering love are well-known to the audience. They will be told in the traditional Christmas concerts at Casa da Música, on December 20-21, which will feature the Portuguese debut of Delyana Lazarova, the Bulgarian conductor who embarked on an international career after winning the Siemens Hallé Conducting Competition and the James Conlon Prize at the Aspen Festival.

Moura

Olive Oil Route

The three-kilometre pedestrian trail, classified as ‘easy’, is an excellent way to explore this off-the-beaten path town, known as the motherland of olive oil in the Alentejo. The route, indicated on a map that can be requested from the municipal tourist office, includes seven points of interest on the Olive Oil Route, but also nine other tourist sites in Moura. It includes tours of a traditional olive grove and a modern olive grove, establishing the parallel between the two, the Olive Garden and the Fojo olive mill, “a unique architectural and historical piece on the Iberian Peninsula”. More information via the Moura Town Hall here.

Castro Marim

Almonds Blossoms

The three-day festival is set to take place in the small village of Alta Mora, in Castro Marim, from January 31 to February 2, following the success of this year’s edition. The entertainment programme will feature live music performances in multiple genres, including folk and world music as well as flamenco, live theatrical and dance performances, a photography exhibition showcasing the previous edition, activities for children such as face painting, traditional games, a petting zoo, donkey rides and performances by living statues. There will also be several events taking place throughout the festival’s three days, headlined by four hikes ranging from 5km to 20km. More information here.