# XXI Constitutional Government of Portugal

The XXI Constitutional Government of Portugal (Portuguese: XXI Governo Constitucional de Portugal) was the 21st government of the Third Portuguese Republic, under the current Constitution. It was in office from 26 November 2015 to 26 October 2019, and was formed by the members of the Socialist Party (PS). António Costa, leader of the PS, served as Prime Minister.

## Background

After the 2015 legislative election had resulted in a hung parliament, the leader of the Portugal Ahead alliance (PPD/PSD.CDS–PP), then Prime Minister Pedro Passos Coelho was given the task of forming a new government. However, as his minority government failed to secure support by any other party, notably the Socialist, the Government Programme was rejected by a vote of 123 to 107 deputies, leading to the government's disbandment within less than a month.
In the meantime, Socialist Party secretary-general António Costa had succeeded in securing support for a Socialist minority government by the Left Bloc (BE), the Portuguese Communist Party (PCP) and the Ecologist Party "The Greens" (PEV), in a confidence and supply agreement. Subsequently, he was appointed as the new Prime Minister on 24 November 2015. The cabinet members took their oath of office on 26 November 2015.

## Composition

The government was composed of the Prime Minister and 17 ministries comprising ministers, secretaries and under-secretaries of state.
| Office | Minister | Party | Start of term | End of term |
| Prime Minister | António Costa | PS | 26 November 2015 | 26 October 2019 |
| Minister of Foreign Affairs | Augusto Santos Silva | PS | 26 November 2015 | 26 October 2019 |
| Minister of Premiership and Administrative Modernization | Maria Manuel Leitão Marques | PS | 26 November 2015 | 18 February 2019 |
| Minister of Premiership and Administrative Modernization | Mariana Vieira da Silva | PS | 18 February 2019 | 26 October 2019 |
| Minister of Finance | Mário Centeno | Independent | 26 November 2015 | 26 October 2019 |
| Minister of National Defence | José Alberto Azeredo Lopes | Independent | 26 November 2015 | 12 October 2018 |
| Minister of National Defence | João Gomes Cravinho | Independent | 12 October 2018 | 26 October 2019 |
| Minister of Internal Administration | Constança Urbano de Sousa | Independent | 26 November 2015 | 18 October 2017 |
| Minister of Internal Administration | Eduardo Cabrita | PS | 21 October 2017 | 26 October 2019 |
| Minister of Justice | Francisca Van Dunem | Independent | 26 November 2015 | 26 October 2019 |
| Minister of Economy | Manuel Caldeira Cabral | Independent | 26 November 2015 | 15 October 2018 |
| Assistant Minister to the Prime Minister (Ministro-Adjunto do Primeiro-Ministro) | Eduardo Cabrita | PS | 26 November 2015 | 21 October 2017 |
| Assistant Minister to the Prime Minister (Ministro-Adjunto do Primeiro-Ministro) | Pedro Siza Vieira | PS | 21 October 2017 | 15 October 2018 |
| Assistant Minister to the Prime Minister and of Economy | Pedro Siza Vieira | PS | 15 October 2018 | 26 October 2019 |
| Minister of Culture | João Soares | PS | 26 November 2015 | 8 April 2016 |
| Minister of Culture | Luís Filipe Castro Mendes | Independent | 14 April 2016 | 15 October 2018 |
| Minister of Culture | Graça Fonseca | PS | 15 October 2018 | 26 October 2019 |
| MInister of Science, Technology and Higher Education | Manuel Heitor | Independent | 26 November 2015 | 26 October 2019 |
| Minister of Education | Tiago Brandão Rodrigues | Independent | 26 November 2015 | 26 October 2019 |
| Minister of Labour, Solidarity and Social Security | José Vieira da Silva | PS | 26 November 2015 | 26 October 2019 |
| Minister of Health | Adalberto Campos Fernandes | Independent | 26 November 2015 | 15 October 2018 |
| Minister of Health | Marta Temido | Independent | 15 October 2018 | 26 October 2019 |
| Minister of Planning and Infrastructure | Pedro Marques | PS | 26 November 2015 | 18 February 2019 |
| Minister of Planning | Nelson de Souza | PS | 18 February 2019 | 26 October 2019 |
| Minister of Infrastructure and Housing | Pedro Nuno Santos | PS | 18 February 2019 | 26 October 2019 |
| Minister of Environment | João Pedro Matos Fernandes | Independent | 26 November 2015 | 15 October 2018 |
| Minister of Environment and Energy Transition | João Pedro Matos Fernandes | Independent | 15 October 2018 | 26 October 2019 |
| Minister of Agriculture | Luís Capoulas Santos | PS | 26 November 2015 | 26 October 2019 |
| Minister of Sea | Ana Paula Vitorino | PS | 26 November 2015 | 26 October 2019 |