Marcelo Rebelo de Sousa facts for kids

Quick facts for kids His Excellency Marcelo Rebelo de Sousa GColTE GCIH ComSE
Portrait, 2017
20th President of Portugal
In office 9 March 2016 – 9 March 2026
Prime Minister	António Costa Luís Montenegro
Preceded by	Aníbal Cavaco Silva
Succeeded by	António José Seguro
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
Other offices Minister of Parliamentary Affairs In office 12 June 1982 – 9 June 1983 Prime Minister Francisco Pinto Balsemão Preceded by Fernando Amaral Succeeded by António de Almeida Santos Secretary of State for the Presidency of the Council of Ministers In office 4 September 1981 – 10 June 1982 Prime Minister Francisco Pinto Balsemão Preceded by José Luís da Cruz Vilaça Succeeded by Leonor Beleza Member of the Assembly of the Republic In office 2 June 1975 – 2 April 1976 Constituency Lisbon
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 was a very important leader in Portugal. He served as the President of Portugal from 2016 until March 9, 2026. Before becoming president, he was a politician, a professor, a journalist, and a legal scholar. He was known for being a member of the Social Democratic Party. However, he paused his party activities while he was president to represent all Portuguese people.

Early Life and Education

Marcelo Rebelo de Sousa was born in Lisbon, Portugal, on December 12, 1948. His parents were Baltazar Rebelo de Sousa and Maria das Neves Fernandes Duarte. He mentioned that his mother had some Jewish family history. He was named after Marcelo Caetano, who was a friend of his father and a leader in Portugal at the time.

He grew up to become a professor and a writer who specialized in constitutional law and administrative law. He earned his highest degree at the University of Lisbon, where he also taught law to students.

Political and Academic Career

Marcelo Rebelo de Sousa began his career as a lawyer and then as a journalist. He joined the Popular Democratic Party and became a representative in the Portuguese Parliament. During this time, he helped write Portugal's constitution in 1976, which is the country's main set of laws.

Later, he became a government minister for Parliamentary Affairs under Prime Minister Francisco Pinto Balsemão. He also helped start and manage the Expresso newspaper. He was also involved with another newspaper, Semanário. He became well-known for his political analysis on the radio, where he would give "grades" to political leaders.

In 1989, he ran to become the Mayor of Lisbon, the capital city. He didn't win, but he did become a city councilor. During his campaign, he famously jumped into the Tagus River to show that people's concerns about pollution were not true. He also served as the president of the Municipal Assembly in Cascais and Celorico de Basto.

Leading the Social Democratic Party

From 1996 to 1999, Marcelo Rebelo de Sousa was the leader of the Social Democratic Party. He tried to form a political alliance with another party, the People's Party.

After Party Leadership

After his time as party leader, he continued to be a popular political analyst on television. He had a weekly show where he discussed current events. He was also appointed as a member of the Council of State by President Aníbal Cavaco Silva in 2006.

Presidency

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

On January 24, 2016, Marcelo Rebelo de Sousa was elected as the President of Portugal. He ran as an independent candidate, meaning he wasn't officially representing a political party during the election. He promised to help unite the country and overcome challenges from a difficult economic period. He was re-elected for a second term in January 2021, winning with a large number of votes. He was the first candidate to win in every single municipality in Portugal.

During his time as president, he supported efforts to acknowledge and address past wrongdoings from Portugal's colonial history and its involvement in the Atlantic slave trade.

In March 2020, during the start of the COVID-19 pandemic, President Rebelo de Sousa asked the parliament to declare a state of emergency. This was a very serious step taken to help control the spread of the virus. It was the first time such a nationwide emergency was declared in Portugal in 46 years. He also took precautions like self-isolating when exposed to the virus and working remotely.

Important Visits as President

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

As president, Marcelo Rebelo de Sousa made many important trips to other countries. His first official visit was to the Vatican City in March 2016, where he met Pope Francis. On the same day, he visited Spain to meet King Felipe VI. In 2019, he joined President Emmanuel Macron in Paris for the Bastille Day military parade. This parade celebrated European teamwork in defense.

President's Health

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

Throughout his presidency, Marcelo Rebelo de Sousa had a few health checks and minor surgeries. In December 2017, he had an emergency operation. He praised the Portuguese National Health Service, calling it a great achievement for the country. In June 2018, he was briefly hospitalized after feeling unwell due to low blood pressure and a stomach issue. In October 2019, he had a planned procedure to check his heart arteries.

In January 2021, he tested positive for COVID-19 but had no symptoms. After further tests, it was determined he had a low-risk exposure and could continue his duties with precautions. In December 2021, he had a planned surgery for hernias. In July 2023, he felt unwell during a visit due to heat and skipping lunch, leading to low blood pressure. He recovered quickly. In December 2025, he had urgent surgery for a hernia. He always returned to his duties after these health events.

Personal Life

Marcelo Rebelo de Sousa married Ana Cristina da Gama Caeiro da Mota Veiga in 1972. They had two children: Nuno and Sofia. The couple separated in 1980 and later divorced in 1983. However, because of his Roman Catholic faith, Marcelo believes that marriage is a lifelong commitment. He has been in a relationship with Rita Amaral Cabral since 1981.

Honours and Awards

Marcelo Rebelo de Sousa received many important honors and awards throughout his life and during his time as president. As the President of Portugal, he was the Grand Master of all the special honorific orders of Portugal. This means he was the highest leader of these groups that recognize people for their achievements.

He also received high honors from many other countries around the world. These awards recognized his leadership and his efforts to build good relationships between Portugal and other nations.

See also

In Spanish: Marcelo Rebelo de Sousa para niños