Antonio Costa

António Costa has been President of the European Council since December 2024.

Born on 17 July 1961 in Lisbon, he holds degrees in law and political science from the University of Lisbon. A lawyer by training, he became involved at an early stage in the Portuguese Socialist Party, of which he became Secretary-General in 2014.

His career in public service has been extensive: Secretary of State for Parliamentary Affairs in 1995, then minister — including Minister of Justice in 1999 and Minister of State for Internal Affairs in 2005. Elected Mayor of Lisbon in 2007, he led the Portuguese capital for three terms, until 2015.

From 2015 to 2024, he served as Prime Minister of Portugal, a position he held for nearly nine years. In December 2024, he assumed the presidency of the European Council, where he is responsible for chairing the work of the heads of state and government of the Twenty-Seven and for carrying forward the political orientations of the Union.