This paper explores the political processes that have led to the definition and reforms of the Portuguese Labour Code in a European context.
It compares the main reforms of the Labour Code (2003, 2009 and 2012). With a particular focus on the latter one, the paper shows that in 2012, the conservative government developed employment flexibility further than what the Troïka was expecting. Even though political leaders took European constraints as opportunities, the comparison of the three reforms shows that partisan politics is less important than European pressures, which constitutes a great political difficulty for the major trade union (Confederação geral dos trabalhadores portugueses). The policy cases under study should draw attention on the importance of analyzing social reforms in the light of European orientations, an angle that is underestimated in the welfare studies literature.
