António Costa GCIH |
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119th Prime Minister of Portugal | |
Assumed office 26 November 2015 |
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President |
Aníbal Cavaco Silva Marcelo Rebelo de Sousa |
Preceded by | Pedro Passos Coelho |
Secretary-General of the Socialist Party | |
Assumed office 22 November 2014 |
|
President | Carlos César |
Preceded by | Maria de Belém Roseira (Acting) |
Vice-President of the European Parliament | |
In office 20 July 2004 – 11 March 2005 |
|
President | Josep Borrell |
Member of the European Parliament | |
In office 20 July 2004 – 11 March 2005 |
|
President | Josep Borrell |
Mayor of Lisbon | |
In office 1 August 2007 – 6 April 2015 |
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Preceded by | Marina Ferreira (Acting) |
Succeeded by | Fernando Medina |
Minister of the 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 |
|
Prime Minister | António Guterres |
Preceded by | José Vera Jardim |
Succeeded by | Celeste Cardona |
Minister of Parliamentary Affairs | |
In office 25 November 1997 – 25 October 1999 |
|
Prime Minister | António Guterres |
Preceded by | Manuel Dias Loureiro |
Succeeded by | Luís Marques Mendes |
Adjunct Secretary of State for Parliamentary Affairs | |
In office 28 October 1995 – 25 November 1997 |
|
Prime Minister | António Guterres |
Preceded by | Luís Filipe Menezes |
Succeeded by | José Magalhães |
Personal details | |
Born |
António Luís Santos da Costa 17 July 1961 Lisbon, Portugal |
Political party | Socialist Party |
Spouse(s) | Fernanda Tadeu (m. 1987) |
Relations | Ricardo Costa (brother) |
Children | 2 |
Parents |
Orlando da Costa Maria Antónia Palla |
Residence | São Bento Palace |
Alma mater | University of Lisbon |
Signature | |
Website | Official website |
António Luís Santos da Costa, GCIH (born 17 July 1961) is a Portuguese lawyer and the Prime Minister of Portugal, in office since 26 November 2015. Previously he was Minister of Parliamentary Affairs from 1997 to 1999, Minister of Justice from 1999 to 2002, Minister of State and Internal Administration from 2005 to 2007, and Mayor of Lisbon from 2007 to 2015. He was elected as Secretary-General of the Socialist Party in September 2014.
Costa was born in 1961 in São Sebastião da Pedreira, Lisbon, the son of writer Orlando da Costa. His father was of Goan, Portuguese, and French descent. His mother was Maria Antónia Palla, a Portuguese journalist and recognized feminist activist.
Costa studied law in the 1980s in Lisbon, when he first entered politics and was elected as a Socialist deputy to the municipal council. He later practiced law briefly from 1988, before entering politics full-time.
Costa's first role in a Socialist government was as Minister of Parliamentary Affairs under Prime Minister António Guterres between 1997 and 1999. He was Minister of Justice from 1999 to 2002.
Costa was a Member of the European Parliament for the Socialist Party (PES), heading the list for the 2004 European elections after the dramatic death of top candidate António de Sousa Franco. On 20 July 2004 he was elected as one of the 14 Vice-Presidents of the European Parliament. He also served on the Committee on Civil Liberties, Justice and Home Affairs.