António Costa

António Costa (Portuguese: Antonio Costa) is a Portuguese and European politician. Future President of the European Council (to take office from December 2024). Prime Minister of Portugal (2015-2024).

Brief biography

António Costa was born on July 17, 1961 in Lisbon (Portugal) in the family of a writer of Portuguese-Indian origin, a member of the Communist Party Orlando da Costa and Portuguese journalist and feminist activist Maria Antonia Palla.

From childhood, António was raised with leftist ideas and at the age of 14 became a member of the youth organization of the Socialist Party of Portugal.

Costa received his higher education at the University of Lisbon, where he studied at the Faculty of Law, specializing in law.

He then earned a master's degree in European Studies from the European Institute at the Portuguese Catholic University.

At one time, Costa worked in the office of future Portuguese President Jorge Sampaio, headed a student organization and its print organ, and practiced law.

He was a member of the Lisbon City Council as well as the Assembly of the Republic.

From 1995 to 1997, he was Minister for Parliamentary Affairs and later Minister of Justice and Minister of State.

In 2004 he became a member of the European Parliament, where he was a member of the Socialist group.

He was Vice-President of the European Parliament and Minister of the Interior in the government of José Socrates.

He served two terms as mayor of Lisbon.

In 2014, he became the leader of the Portuguese Socialists.

In November 2015, he was appointed Prime Minister of Portugal. At the end of 2023, he left office amid a corruption scandal.

In June 2024, he was confirmed as President of the European Council, a post he will hold from December 2024.

Personal life

António Costa has been married since 1987. He has a son and a daughter.