There comes that time of year when, almost as a ritual, we look back and try to remember what happened to us. It is true that we have only just entered the final month, the one that offers us three days of rest and a flood of invitations to parties, dinners and get-togethers, with or without the supervision of Mrs D. Constança. But none of this prevents a brief visit to this year that, within weeks, will leave us.
In January, President Marcelo announced the date of the Presidential Elections, a topic we will return to, scheduling them for January 18th, with the inevitable second round reserved for February 8th. Outside, Poland assumed the Presidency of the European Council and Bulgaria and Romania finally completed their entry into the Schengen area (which celebrated its 40th anniversary), with the consequent end of internal borders with these States.
February brought yet another escalation of tension in the Middle East, with Israel sending tanks to the West Bank and launching attacks in Syria and Lebanon. It was also the month of the air tragedy on the Potomac River, in the United States, which killed 67 people. The XIV Brazil-Portugal Summit was held in Brasília, where relations with the sister country were visibly strengthened.
March managed to be meteorologically paradoxical: the hottest month on record in Europe and, at the same time, particularly rainy in Portugal. It was also the month of eclipses (total lunar on the 14th, partial solar on the 29th) and, politically, the month in which Alexandra Leitão announced her candidacy for Lisbon City Council, while Mário Centeno clarified that he would not be a candidate for Belém.
Easter was marked by the departure of Francis, the beloved Pope who modernized the Church and brought it closer to the faithful. He died on April 21, on Easter Monday. That same month, a blackout left the Iberian Peninsula in the dark for long hours, giving rise to reflection and leading the Bank of Portugal to recommend that we all keep some physical money at home, to prevent future similar eventualities.
Leo XIV, the American Pope, came as a surprise to some and to others as a natural choice in a world trying to preserve the balance of powers in the United States. In Portugal, we returned to the polls for the third time in two and a half years: the victory of the AD and the growth, for now cyclical but potentially structural, of the extreme right was confirmed, a trend that is repeated internationally and which, among us, is now leading the opposition.
The summer brought the election of Polish President Naworski, who defeated Trzaskowski in the second round. And because life is not limited to politics, we also celebrated the European gold won by the national K4 in the 500 meters of canoeing.
In July, Bulgaria’s entry into the euro was confirmed in January 2026, saying goodbye to the Lev. Portugal had a relevant presence at the 6th World Conference of Presidents of Parliament, held in Geneva, reinforcing national parliamentary diplomacy.
While the country threw itself into the bath, Americans and Russians gathered in Alaska in an attempt, however tenuous, to find a path to peace in Europe and an end to the war in Ukraine. In August we made history at the canoeing world championships with an unprecedented triple: gold, silver and bronze.
September reignited tensions between the United States and Venezuela, after a Venezuelan ship was sunk in the Caribbean, causing 11 deaths. In France, the prime minister resigned again, only to be reappointed. In Portugal, we experienced the tragic accident of the Elevador da Glória, which left the country in shock.
October was once again a month of elections, this time local elections, and brought the world news that had been awaited for a long time: the ceasefire in Palestine, the result of a plan widely supported internationally and which finally put an end to months of horror.
The year ended with another American record: the longest government shutdown ever, 43 days, which paralyzed services, delayed salaries and left airports and markets on hold. Here, we celebrated the future by winning the Under-17 World Cup, a title that honors Portuguese youth and feeds hope.
December opens today with the Christmas Tree and the celebration of the Restoration of Independence, our oldest civil holiday. Within days, the Immaculate Conception arrives and, with it, the Christmas season begins once and for all, despite social instability and the general strike scheduled for the 11th. Then comes Christmas, Baby Jesus (or Santa Claus), and then the usual price drops to prepare the transition to the New Year. Until then, I wish you a Holy Christmas and a Prosperous 2026!