From a Portuguese miracle to a nightmare? The evolving politics of the pandemic in Portugal

Facing the first pandemic wave with exceptionally low casualties, Portugal was internationally praised as an outstanding example, particularly when compared to other Southern European counterparts. The second wave, however, was faced with a rampant number of infections, reaching the European record in terms of deaths and infections at the onset of 2021. This article seeks discuss the social, political and institutional variables that explain both exceptional situations within the Southern European context. In this article it is argued that lower levels of political polarisation and a climate of cross-party collaboration are key factors in understanding the “Portuguese miracle”. Despite its minority position, the Costa government ensured considerable levels of support either from citizens and from other parties. The major party in opposition maintained its pragmatic and conciliatory tone during the pandemic, promising to collaborate with the Socialist government to tackle the pandemic. Notwithstanding, the combination of a new spike in cases, public disagreement with health experts and decreasing support from opposition parties are liable to strain relations between government and citizens, who became increasingly frustrated with government management of the pandemic.