Portugal’s President Marcelo Rebelo de Sousa has underscored the country’s long standing identity as a nation shaped diversity, telling the European Parliament that Portuguese society has never been defined purity but mixture. Speaking during a session marking four decades since Portugal and Spain joined the former European Economic Community, he described Portugal’s origins as firmly European yet deeply interconnected with other regions. He recalled the early foundations of the Portuguese state through links to the Kingdom of León and Burgundy, while stressing that these roots were accompanied from the outset influences from Africa and Asia. According to the president, this historical blending later expanded through contact with the Americas and Oceania, creating a society formed through centuries of cultural exchange. He argued that this process produced a collective identity grounded in richness rather than uniformity, drawing attention to how Portuguese culture evolved through encounters beyond Europe while remaining anchored in its European language, traditions, and historical experience.
Continuing his address, Marcelo Rebelo de Sousa reflected on Portugal’s complex relationship with Europe across different historical periods, noting that the continent was not always a source of stability or progress. He described centuries marked wars, struggles for independence, and political uncertainty, particularly up to the seventeenth century, when both Portugal and Spain experienced repeated conflicts and shifting power. The president recalled that from the fifteenth century onwards, Portugal often looked outward, crossing oceans and engaging with distant lands, sometimes finding greater purpose in exploration than in continental disputes. He highlighted the nineteenth century decision to establish the capital in Brazil as a striking example of how national survival depended on global connections. In this context, he suggested that Europe’s past role was often ambiguous, offering influence and inspiration but also hardship, making later political cooperation all the more significant for Portugal’s modern trajectory.
The president concluded this historical reflection emphasising the transformative impact of European integration in the twentieth century, particularly Portugal’s accession alongside Spain. He described this moment as a turning point that reshaped relations between neighbouring states and redirected national history toward democracy, development, and social justice. Highlighting the leadership roles of figures such as Mário Soares and Felipe González, he argued that integration replaced centuries of rivalry with cooperation and fraternity. Marcelo Rebelo de Sousa stressed that this new chapter would not have been possible without Europe, rejecting the idea that Portugal could thrive on its margins or in opposition to it. He also pointed to the emergence of the Community of Portuguese Speaking Countries as a continuation of Portugal’s global outlook after the end of its empire. The president firmly stated that abandoning Europe would mean abandoning an essential part of Portugal’s identity, reaffirming the country’s long term commitment to the European project.
