Marcelo Rebelo de Sousa facts for kids

Quick facts for kids Marcelo Rebelo de Sousa
Portrait, 2017
President of Portugal
Incumbent
Assumed office 9 March 2016
Prime Minister	António Costa Luís Montenegro
Preceded by	Aníbal Cavaco Silva
Leader of the Opposition
In office 31 March 1996 – 1 May 1999
Prime Minister	António Guterres
Preceded by	Fernando Nogueira
Succeeded by	José Manuel Barroso
President of the Social Democratic Party
In office 31 March 1996 – 1 May 1999
Secretary-General	Rui Rio Carlos Horta e Costa António Capucho Artur Torres Pereira
Preceded by	Fernando Nogueira
Succeeded by	José Manuel Barroso
Personal details
Born	Marcelo Nuno Duarte Rebelo de Sousa (1948-12-12) 12 December 1948 (age 77) Lisbon, Portugal
Political party	Social Democratic Party (1975–2015) Independent (since 2015)
Spouse	Ana Cristina da Mota Veiga ​ ​ (m. 1972; div. 1983)​
Domestic partner	Rita Amaral (1981–present)
Children	2
Relatives	Baltazar Rebelo de Sousa (father)
Residences	Belém Palace (official) Cascais (private)
Signature

Marcelo Nuno Duarte Rebelo de Sousa, born on 12 December 1948, is a well-known Portuguese politician. He has been the President of Portugal since 2016. Before becoming president, he worked in many important jobs. He was a government minister, a member of parliament, a lawyer, a journalist, and a university professor.

Marcelo Rebelo de Sousa was born in Lisbon, Portugal. His father was Baltazar Rebelo de Sousa. Marcelo studied law and became a professor at the University of Lisbon. He taught about the laws that govern a country.

Early Career and Public Service

Marcelo Rebelo de Sousa began his career as a lawyer and journalist during a time when Portugal was not a democracy. He joined the Popular Democratic Party. He became a representative in the country's parliament, the Assembly of the Republic. During this time, he helped write Portugal's main set of laws, called the Constitution, in 1976.

Later, he became a minister who worked with the parliament under Prime Minister Francisco Pinto Balsemão. He also helped start and manage a newspaper called Expresso. He became known for his political comments on the radio, where he would 'grade' politicians.

In 1989, he ran to become the mayor of Lisbon. He didn't win the top job but became a city council member. During his campaign, he famously jumped into the Tagus River to show that its waters were clean. He also led local assemblies in Cascais and Celorico de Basto.

Leading the Social Democratic Party

Marcelo Rebelo de Sousa was the leader of the Social Democratic Party from 1996 to 1999. During this period, he formed a political alliance with another party. He also became a vice-president for a large group of political parties in Europe.

After Party Leadership

After his time as party leader, he continued to be a well-known political commentator on TV. He had a weekly TV show where he discussed politics. Later, he was appointed to the Council of State, an important advisory body to the President.

Presidency of Portugal

On 24 January 2016, Marcelo Rebelo de Sousa was elected as the President of Portugal. He ran as an independent candidate, meaning he was not officially representing a political party at the time. He promised to bring people together and help Portugal recover from economic challenges.

In March 2020, during the COVID-19 pandemic, he asked the parliament to declare a state of emergency. This was a very important step to help control the virus in Portugal.

He was re-elected as president in January 2021, winning with a large number of votes. He was the first candidate to win in every part of Portugal. During his time as president, he has spoken about the importance of understanding and acknowledging Portugal's past, including its colonial history and role in the Atlantic slave trade.

International Visits

President-elect Marcelo Rebelo de Sousa delivering his victory speech on election night, 24 January 2016

First state visit as President of Portugal (Vatican, March 2016)

Marcelo Rebelo de Sousa with Vladimir Putin, President of Russia, in the Kremlin in Moscow, 20 June 2018

Marcelo Rebelo de Sousa with Donald Trump, the president of the United States, in the White House in Washington, D.C., 27 June 2018

Marcelo Rebelo de Sousa with Brazilian President Jair Bolsonaro in Brasília, on 2 August 2021

As President of Portugal, Marcelo Rebelo de Sousa has traveled to many countries. These include the Vatican, Spain, Mozambique, Morocco, Brazil, Switzerland, Cuba, the United Kingdom, Greece, the United States, and Angola. His first visit was to the Vatican City to meet Pope Francis. In 2019, he joined President Emmanuel Macron for the traditional Bastille Day military parade in Paris.

Health and Well-being

Marcelo Rebelo de Sousa has faced some health challenges during his time as president. He has had a few surgeries and hospital visits for various reasons, including a heart procedure and issues related to his busy schedule. He also took precautions and isolated himself during the COVID-19 pandemic after testing positive, though he had no symptoms and later tested negative. In December 2025, he had urgent surgery for a hernia.

Personal Life and Family

Marcelo Rebelo de Sousa married Ana Cristina da Mota Veiga in 1972. They had two children, Nuno (born in 1973) and Sofia (born in 1976). The couple later separated in 1980 and divorced in 1983. Since 1981, he has been in a relationship with Rita Amaral Cabral. They live separately.

Honours and Awards

Marcelo Rebelo de Sousa has received many honours and awards from Portugal and other countries. These awards recognize his important work and service.

Portuguese Honours

• Grand Master of the Honorific Orders of Portugal (since 2016)
• Grand Collar of the Military Order of the Tower and Sword (2021)
• Commander of the Order of Saint James of the Sword (1994)
• Grand Cross of the Order of Prince Henry (2005)

International Honours

He has also received high honours from many countries around the world, including:

• Collar of the National Order of Merit (Algeria, 2023)
• Grand Cordon of the Order of Leopold (Belgium, 2018)
• Grand Collar of the Order of the Southern Cross (Brazil, 2023)
• Grand Cross of the National Order of the Legion of Honour (France, 2016)
• Knight with the Collar of the Order of Pius IX (Holy See, 2016)
• Knight Grand Cross with Collar of the Order of Merit of the Italian Republic (Italy, 2017)
• Collar of the Order of Muhammad (Morocco, 2016)
• Knight Grand Cross of the Order of the Netherlands Lion (Netherlands, 2017)
• Collar of the Order of Charles III (Spain, 2018)

Images for kids

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  Marcelo Rebelo de Sousa wearing a protective mask in 2021, during the COVID-19 pandemic

See also

In Spanish: Marcelo Rebelo de Sousa para niños