António Costa facts for kids
Quick facts for kids
António Costa
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Official portrait, 2024
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| President of the European Council | |
| Assumed office 1 December 2024 |
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| Preceded by | Charles Michel |
| Prime Minister of Portugal | |
| In office 26 November 2015 – 2 April 2024 |
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| President | Aníbal Cavaco Silva Marcelo Rebelo de Sousa |
| Preceded by | Pedro Passos Coelho |
| Succeeded by | Luís Montenegro |
| Secretary-General of the Socialist Party | |
| In office 22 November 2014 – 7 January 2024 |
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| President | Carlos César |
| Deputy | Ana Catarina Mendes José Luís Carneiro João Torres |
| Preceded by | António José Seguro |
| Succeeded by | Pedro Nuno Santos |
| Leader of the Opposition | |
| In office 22 November 2014 – 26 November 2015 |
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| Prime Minister | Pedro Passos Coelho |
| Preceded by | António José Seguro |
| Succeeded by | Pedro Passos Coelho |
| Mayor of Lisbon | |
| In office 1 August 2007 – 6 April 2015 |
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| Preceded by | Carmona Rodrigues |
| Succeeded by | Fernando Medina |
| Minister of Internal Administration | |
| In office 12 March 2005 – 17 May 2007 |
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| Prime Minister | José Sócrates |
| Preceded by | Daniel Sanches |
| Succeeded by | Rui Pereira |
| Minister of Justice | |
| In office 25 October 1999 – 6 April 2002 |
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| Prime Minister | António Guterres |
| Preceded by | José Vera Jardim |
| Succeeded by | Celeste Cardona |
| Minister of Parliamentary Affairs | |
| In office 27 November 1997 – 25 October 1999 |
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| Prime Minister | António Guterres |
| Preceded by | António Couto dos Santos |
| Succeeded by | Luís Marques Mendes |
| Member of the Assembly of the Republic | |
| In office 23 October 2015 – 26 March 2024 |
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| Constituency | Lisbon |
| In office 5 April 2002 – 9 March 2005 |
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| Constituency | Leiria |
| In office 4 November 1991 – 26 October 1995 |
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| Constituency | Lisbon |
| Member of the European Parliament | |
| In office 20 July 2004 – 11 March 2005 |
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| Constituency | Portugal |
| Personal details | |
| Born |
António Luís Santos da Costa
17 July 1961 Lisbon, Portugal |
| Political party | Socialist (since 1975) |
| Height | 1.70 m (5 ft 7 in) |
| Spouse |
Fernanda Tadeu
(m. 1987) |
| Children | 2 |
| Parents |
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| Alma mater | University of Lisbon |
| Signature |  |
| Military service | |
| Allegiance |  Portugal |
| Branch/service | Portuguese Army |
António Luís Santos da Costa (born 17 July 1961) is a Portuguese lawyer and politician. He is currently the President of the European Council. This means he helps lead the meetings of the leaders from all the countries in the European Union.
Before this important role, he was the Prime Minister of Portugal from 2015 to 2024. He led Portugal for almost nine years, which is one of the longest times anyone has served as Prime Minister in Portuguese democracy. He also served as a minister in different government roles and was the Mayor of Lisbon from 2007 to 2015.
In November 2023, António Costa resigned from his role as Prime Minister. The President of Portugal then decided to hold new elections. Costa continued as Prime Minister until a new leader, Luís Montenegro, took over in April 2024. In December 2024, Costa began his new job as President of the European Council.
Contents
Early Life and Education
António Costa was born in 1961 in Lisbon, Portugal. His father, Orlando da Costa, was a writer, and his mother, Maria Antónia Palla, was a journalist. His family background includes French-Mozambican and Indian roots. In Goa, a region in India, he is sometimes called Babush, which means "a young loved one."
Costa studied law at the University of Lisbon in the 1980s. After finishing his studies, he briefly worked as a lawyer before focusing on his political career.
Political Journey
António Costa joined the Socialist Youth when he was just 14 years old in 1975. He was elected to the Lisbon city council in 1982, which was his first step into politics.
In 1991, he became a member of the Assembly of the Republic, which is like Portugal's parliament. He later served as a minister in the government, holding roles such as Minister of Parliamentary Affairs and Minister of Justice. He also helped organize Expo '98, a big international exhibition held in Lisbon.
From 2004 to 2005, Costa was a member of the European Parliament. He even became one of its vice-presidents. In 2005, he returned to Portugal to become the Minister of Internal Administration.
Mayor of Lisbon
In 2007, António Costa became the Mayor of Lisbon, the capital city of Portugal. He was very popular and was re-elected twice, each time with more votes. He served as mayor until April 2015, when he decided to focus on becoming the Prime Minister.
Becoming Prime Minister
In 2014, the Socialist Party chose António Costa as their candidate for Prime Minister in the 2015 elections. He won the party's vote by a large margin.
During his campaign, Costa promised to make life easier for families by reducing some strict economic rules that had been in place. He wanted to help people have more money to spend and create more jobs. He believed this would help the country's economy grow.
Prime Minister of Portugal
In the 2015 elections, Costa's Socialist Party came in second. However, he managed to form an alliance with other left-wing parties. Together, they had enough support in Parliament to form a new government. António Costa became the Prime Minister of Portugal on 26 November 2015.
During his time as Prime Minister, Portugal's economy improved. His government focused on balancing the country's finances while also helping people earn more and supporting economic growth.
Challenges and Achievements
One of the biggest challenges during his first term was dealing with severe wildfires in 2017. His government also faced public sector strikes. Despite these challenges, his party gained more support in local elections.
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In 2019, his party won the national elections again, and he started his second term as Prime Minister. This period was largely shaped by the COVID-19 pandemic. His government declared a state of emergency and put in place lockdowns to control the virus. Portugal's vaccination campaign was very successful, with a high percentage of the population getting vaccinated.
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From January to June 2021, António Costa also led the Council of the European Union. This means he was in charge of meetings and decisions for the whole European Union during that time.
In 2021, his party lost some support in local elections, and the government faced difficulties getting its budget approved. This led to new elections being called for January 2022.
Third Term and Resignation
In the 2022 elections, António Costa's party won a surprise majority of seats in Parliament. This allowed him to form his third government. He promised to govern for all Portuguese people.
However, his third term faced some challenges, including several ministers leaving their roles. On 7 November 2023, António Costa announced his resignation as Prime Minister. The President of Portugal accepted his resignation, and new elections were scheduled for March 2024. Costa remained in office as a caretaker until the new government was formed.
President of the European Council
After the 2024 European Parliament election, António Costa was chosen to become the next President of the European Council. This is one of the most important leadership positions in the European Union. He officially started this role on 1 December 2024.
Personal Life
António Costa is married to Fernanda Maria Gonçalves Tadeu, who is a teacher. They have a son and a daughter. He also has Overseas Citizenship of India due to his family's heritage.
Costa is a big fan of the football club S.L. Benfica. He often watched their matches when he was the mayor of Lisbon.
Images for kids
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Costa announcing his resignation, on 7 November 2023
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Costa with Brazilian President Luiz Inácio Lula da Silva on 24 April 2023.
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Costa with Bulgarian President Rumen Radev in the European Council Summit in Brussels, 22 October 2021.
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See Also
In Spanish: António Costa para niños
- List of heads of state and government of Indian origin
