The Council of State (, ) is a body established by the Portuguese Constitution to advise the President in the exercise of many of their discretionary powers.
History
Although there are notices about the existence of a Council of State in Portugal before 1385, the first permanent regiment for its functioning was established by King Sebastian through his charter of 8 September 1569.
The Council of State continued to exist after the establishment of the Constitutional Monarchy in 1821. It was foreseen in the Portuguese Constitutions of 1822, 1826 and 1838.
After the 5 October 1910 revolution that established the Republic in Portugal, the Council of State was abolished, not being foreseen in the Constitution of 1911.
The Council of State was reestablished by the Constitution of 1933. It was again not foreseen by the Constitution of 1976. However, it was reestablished in 1984, following the revision of the Constitution of 1982.
Role
Besides summoning and advising the President whenever asked to do so by him/her, according to the Constitution the Council must be summoned by the President before:
Immunity
Councillors of State enjoy immunity as a sign of the highest honour of the office they hold. Thus, a Councillor of State may only be brought before a court with the prior authorisation of the Council, which waives his immunity. Unlike the immunity of the Members of the Assembly of the Republic, which must be waived when the crime in question is punishable by a sentence of more than 3 years imprisonment, the decision of the Council of State regarding the waiver of immunity of one of its members is free. In case of refusal the suspected member only answers in Court when he ceases to be a Councillor of State.
! colspan="2" |Party
|-
|President of the Republic and chair of the Council ||António José Seguro
! width="1px" style="background:;" |
|PS
|-
|President of the Assembly of the Republic||José Pedro Aguiar-Branco
! width="1px" style="background:;" |
|PSD
|-
|Prime Minister||Luís Montenegro
! width="1px" style="background:;" |
|PSD
|-
|President of the Constitutional Court|| José João Abrantes
! width="1px" style="background:;" |
|PS
|-
|Ombudsman || colspan="3" |Vacant
|-
|President of the Regional Government of Madeira||Miguel Albuquerque
! width="1px" style="background:;" |
|PSD
|-
|President of the Regional Government of Azores||José Manuel Bolieiro
! width="1px" style="background:;" |
|PSD
|-
| rowspan="3" |Former elected Presidents of the Republic ||António Ramalho Eanes
! width="1px" style="background:;" |
|Ind.
|-
|Aníbal Cavaco Silva
! width="1px" style="background:;" |
|PSD
|-
|Marcelo Rebelo de Sousa
! width="1px" style="background:;" |
|PSD
|-
| rowspan="5" |Designated by the President of the Republic ||Alberto Martins
! width="1px" style="background:;" |
|PS
|-
|Isabel Capeloa Gil
! width="1px" style="background:;" |
|Ind.
|-
|Maria do Carmo Fonseca
! width="1px" style="background:;" |
|Ind.
|-
|Miguel Bastos Araújo
! width="1px" style="background:;" |
|Ind.
|-
|Nuno Severiano Teixeira
! width="1px" style="background:;" |
|PS
|-
| rowspan="5" |Elected by the Assembly of the Republic
|Leonor Beleza
! width="1px" style="background:;" |
|PSD
|-
|André Ventura
! width="1px" style="background:;" |
|CH
|-
|Carlos César
! width="1px" style="background:;" |
|PS
|-
|Carlos Moedas
! width="1px" style="background:;" |
|PSD
|-
|Pedro Duarte
! width="1px" style="background:;" |
|PSD
|}
Former Councillors of State
{| class="wikitable"
!Office
!Member
! colspan="2" |Party
|-
| rowspan="2" |Former elected President
|Mário Soares <small>(1996–2017)</small>
! width="1px" style="background:;" |
|PS
|-
|Jorge Sampaio <small>(2006–2021)</small>
! width="1px" style="background:;" |
|PS
|-
| colspan="4" |
|-
| rowspan="11" |Inherent as President of the Assembly of the Republic
|Leonardo Ribeiro de Almeida <small>(1982–1983)</small>
! width="1px" style="background:;" |
|PSD
|-
|Manuel Tito de Morais <small>(1983–1984)</small>
! width="1px" style="background:;" |
|PS
|-
|Fernando Amaral <small>(1984–1987)</small>
! width="1px" style="background:;" |
|PSD
|-
|Vítor Crespo <small>(1987–1991)</small>
! width="1px" style="background:;" |
|PSD
|-
|António Barbosa de Melo <small>(1991–1995)</small>
! width="1px" style="background:;" |
|PSD
|-
|António de Almeida Santos <small>(1995–2002)</small>
! width="1px" style="background:;" |
|PS
|-
|João Bosco Mota Amaral <small>(2002–2005)</small>
! width="1px" style="background:;" |
|PSD
|-
|Jaime Gama <small>(2005–2011)</small>
! width="1px" style="background:;" |
|PS
|-
|Assunção Esteves <small>(2011–2015)</small>
! width="1px" style="background:;" |
|PSD
|-
|Eduardo Ferro Rodrigues <small>(2015–2022)</small>
! width="1px" style="background:;" |
|PS
|-
|Augusto Santos Silva <small>(2022–2024)</small>
! width="1px" style="background:;" |
|PS
|-
| rowspan="9" |Inherent as Prime Ministers
|Francisco Pinto Balsemão <small>(1982–1983)</small>
! width="1px" style="background:;" |
|PSD
|-
|Mário Soares <small>(1983–1985)</small>
! width="1px" style="background:;" |
|PS
|-
|Aníbal Cavaco Silva <small>(1985–1995)</small>
! width="1px" style="background:;" |
|PSD
|-
|António Guterres <small>(1995–2002)</small>
! width="1px" style="background:;" |
|PS
|-
|José Manuel Durão Barroso <small>(2002–2004)</small>
! width="1px" style="background:;" |
|PSD
|-
|Pedro Santana Lopes <small>(2004–2005)</small>
! width="1px" style="background:;" |
|PSD
|-
|José Sócrates <small>(2005–2011)</small>
! width="1px" style="background:;" |
|PS
|-
|Pedro Passos Coelho <small>(2011–2015)</small>
! width="1px" style="background:;" |
|PSD
|-
|António Costa <small>(2015–2024)</small>
! width="1px" style="background:;" |
|PS
|-
| rowspan="8" |Inherent as President of the Constitutional Court
|Armando Manuel Marques Guedes <small>(1983–1989)</small>
! width="1px" style="background:;" |
|PSD
|-
|José Cardoso da Costa <small>(1989–2003)</small>
! width="1px" style="background:;" |
|CDS–PP
|-
|Luís Nunes de Almeida <small>(2003–2004)</small>
! width="1px" style="background:;" |
|PS
|-
|Artur Maurício <small>(2004–2007)</small>
! width="1px" style="background:;" |
|PS
|-
|Rui Moura Ramos <small>(2007–2012)</small>
! width="1px" style="background:;" |
|PSD
|-
|Joaquim Sousa Ribeiro <small>(2012–2016)</small>
! width="1px" style="background:;" |
|PS
|-
|Manuel da Costa Andrade <small>(2016–2021)</small>
! width="1px" style="background:;" |
|PSD
|-
|João Caupers <small>(2021–2023)</small>
! width="1px" style="background:;" |
|PS
|-
| rowspan="8" |Inherent as Ombudsman
|Eudoro Pamplona Corte-Real <small>(1982–1985)</small>
! width="1px" style="background:;" |
|Ind.
|-
|Ângelo d'Almeida Ribeiro <small>(1985–1990)</small>
! width="1px" style="background:;" |
|Ind.
|-
|Mário Raposo <small>(1990–1991)</small>
! width="1px" style="background:;" |
|PSD
|-
|José Menéres Pimentel <small>(1992–2000)</small>
! width="1px" style="background:;" |
|PSD
|-
|Henrique do Nascimento Rodrigues <small>(2000–2009)</small>
! width="1px" style="background:;" |
|PSD
|-
|Alfredo José de Sousa <small>(2009–2013)</small>
! width="1px" style="background:;" |
|Ind.
|-
|José de Faria Costa <small>(2013–2017)</small>
! width="1px" style="background:;" |
|Ind.
|-
|Maria Lúcia Amaral <small>(2017–2025)</small>
! width="1px" style="background:;" |
|Ind.
|-
|Inherent as President of the Regional Government of Madeira
|Alberto João Jardim <small>(1982–2015)</small>
! width="1px" style="background:;" |
|PSD
|-
| rowspan="4" |Inherent as President of the Regional Government of the Azores
|João Bosco Mota Amaral <small>(1982–1995)</small>
! width="1px" style="background:;" |
|PSD
|-
|Alberto Madruga da Costa <small>(1995–1996)</small>
! width="1px" style="background:;" |
|PSD
|-
|Carlos César <small>(1996–2012)</small>
! width="1px" style="background:;" |
|PS
|-
|Vasco Cordeiro <small>(2012–2020)</small>
! width="1px" style="background:;" |
|PS
|-
| colspan="4" |
|-
| rowspan="5" |Designated by President Ramalho Eanes <small>(1982–1986)</small>
|Alfredo Nobre da Costa
! width="1px" style="background:;"|
|Ind.
|-
|Ernesto Melo Antunes
! width="1px" style="background:;"|
|Ind.
|-
|Henrique de Barros
| style="background: linear-gradient( 50%, 50%); color:white;"|
|Ind./PRD
|-
|Jorge de Figueiredo Dias
! width="1px" style="background:;"|
|Ind.
|-
|Miguel Galvão Teles
| style="background: linear-gradient( 50%, 50%); color:white;"|
|Ind./PRD
|-
| rowspan="7" |Designated by President Mário Soares <small>(1986–1996)</small>
|Alfredo Nobre da Costa
! width="1px" style="background:;" |
|Ind.
|-
|António de Almeida Santos <small>(resigned Nov. 1995)</small>
! width="1px" style="background:;" |
|PS
|-
|António Dias da Cunha <small>(replaced Almeida Santos)</small>
! width="1px" style="background:;" |
|Ind.
|-
|Joaquim Pinto Correia <small>(resigned Sep. 1987)</small>
! width="1px" style="background:;" |
|PSD
|-
|João Fraústo da Silva <small>(replaced Pinto Correia)</small>
! width="1px" style="background:;"|
|Ind.
|-
|José Gomes Mota
! width="1px" style="background:;"|
|Ind.
|-
|Rui de Alarcão
! width="1px" style="background:;"|
|Ind.
|-
| rowspan="6" |Designated by President Jorge Sampaio <small>(1996–2006)</small>
|Carlos Carvalhas
! width="1px" style="background:;" |
|PCP
|-
|Ernesto Melo Antunes <small>(died Aug. 1999)</small>
! width="1px" style="background:;" |
|PS
|-
|João Cravinho <small>(replaced Melo Antunes)</small>
! width="1px" style="background:;" |
|PS
|-
|José Galvão Teles
! width="1px" style="background:;" |
|PS
|-
|Maria de Jesus Serra Lopes
! width="1px" style="background:;"|
|Ind.
|-
|Vítor Constâncio
! width="1px" style="background:;" |
|PS
|-
| rowspan="8" |Designated by President Aníbal Cavaco Silva <small>(2006–2016)</small>
|João Lobo Antunes
! width="1px" style="background:;" |
|Ind.
|-
|Marcelo Rebelo de Sousa
! width="1px" style="background:;" |
|PSD
|-
|Manuela Ferreira Leite <small>(resigned Jun. 2008)</small>
! width="1px" style="background:;" |
|PSD
|-
|Leonor Beleza <small>(replaced Ferreira Leite)</small>
! width="1px" style="background:;" |
|PSD
|-
|Manuel Dias Loureiro <small>(resigned May 2009)</small>
! width="1px" style="background:;" |
|PSD
|-
|Vítor Bento <small>(replaced Dias Loureiro)</small>
! width="1px" style="background:;"|
|Ind.
|-
|Miguel Anacoreta Correia <small>(2006–2011)</small>
! width="1px" style="background:;" |
|CDS–PP
|-
|António Bagão Félix <small>(2011–2016)</small>
! width="1px" style="background:;" |
|PSD
|-
| rowspan="8" |Designated by President Marcelo Rebelo de Sousa <small>(2016–2026)</small>
|António Lobo Xavier
! width="1px" style="background:;" |
|CDS–PP
|-
|António Guterres <small>(resigned Nov. 2016)</small>
! width="1px" style="background:;" |
|PS
|-
|António Damásio <small>(replaced Guterres; resigned Feb. 2024)</small>
! width="1px" style="background:;"|
|Ind.
|-
|Joana Carneiro <small>(replaced Damásio)</small>
! width="1px" style="background:;"|
|Ind.
|-
|Eduardo Lourenço <small>(died 1 Dec. 2020)</small>
! width="1px" style="background:;"|
|Ind.
|-
|Lídia Jorge <small>(replaced Lourenço)</small>
! width="1px" style="background:;"|
|Ind.
|-
|Luís Marques Mendes
! width="1px" style="background:;" |
|PSD
|-
|Leonor Beleza
! width="1px" style="background:;" |
|PSD
|-
| colspan="4" |
|-
| rowspan="5" |Elected by Parliament in 1982 (2nd Legislature)
|Carlos Mota Pinto
! width="1px" style="background:;" |
|PSD
|-
|Mário Soares
! width="1px" style="background:;" |
|PS
|-
|Álvaro Cunhal
! width="1px" style="background:;" |
|PCP
|-
|Nuno Rodrigues dos Santos
! width="1px" style="background:;" |
|PSD
|-
|Diogo Freitas do Amaral
! width="1px" style="background:;" |
|CDS
|-
| rowspan="6" |Elected by Parliament in 1983 (3rd Legislature)
|António Macedo
! width="1px" style="background:;" |
|PS
|-
|Carlos Mota Pinto <small>(died May 1985)</small>
! width="1px" style="background:;" |
|PSD
|-
|Leonardo Ribeiro de Almeida <small>(replaced Mota Pinto)</small>
! width="1px" style="background:;" |
|PSD
|-
|Álvaro Cunhal
! width="1px" style="background:;" |
|PCP
|-
|Raul Rego
! width="1px" style="background:;" |
|PS
|-
|Francisco Lucas Pires
! width="1px" style="background:;" |
|CDS
|-
| rowspan="5" |Elected by Parliament in 1986 (4th Legislature)
|Amândio de Azevedo
! width="1px" style="background:;" |
|PSD
|-
|António Macedo
! width="1px" style="background:;" |
|PS
|-
|Hermínio Martinho
! width="1px" style="background:;" |
|PRD
|-
|Álvaro Cunhal
! width="1px" style="background:;" |
|PCP
|-
|António Barbosa de Melo
! width="1px" style="background:;" |
|PSD
|-
| rowspan="5" |Elected by Parliament in 1987 (5th Legislature)
|António Barbosa de Melo
! width="1px" style="background:;" |
|PSD
|-
|Eurico de Melo
! width="1px" style="background:;" |
|PSD
|-
|Vítor Constâncio
! width="1px" style="background:;" |
|PS
|-
|Leonardo Ribeiro de Almeida
! width="1px" style="background:;" |
|PSD
|-
|Álvaro Cunhal
! width="1px" style="background:;" |
|PCP
|-
| rowspan="5" |Elected by Parliament in 1992 (6th Legislature)
|Eurico de Melo
! width="1px" style="background:;" |
|PSD
|-
|Jorge Sampaio
! width="1px" style="background:;" |
|PS
|-
|Vítor Crespo
! width="1px" style="background:;" |
|PSD
|-
|António Guterres
! width="1px" style="background:;" |
|PS
|-
|Mário Montalvão Machado
! width="1px" style="background:;" |
|PSD
|-
| rowspan="5" |Elected by Parliament in 1996 (7th Legislature)
|Manuel Alegre
! width="1px" style="background:;" |
|PS
|-
|Eurico de Melo
! width="1px" style="background:;" |
|PSD
|-
|Fernando Gomes
! width="1px" style="background:;" |
|PS
|-
|António Barbosa de Melo
! width="1px" style="background:;" |
|PSD
|-
|José Gomes Canotilho
! width="1px" style="background:;" |
|PS
|-
| rowspan="6" |Elected by Parliament in 2000 (8th Legislature)
|Manuel Alegre
! width="1px" style="background:;" |
|PS
|-
|António Barbosa de Melo
! width="1px" style="background:;" |
|PSD
|-
|João Soares
! width="1px" style="background:;" |
|PS
|-
|Marcelo Rebelo de Sousa <small>(resigned Dec. 2001)</small>
! width="1px" style="background:;" |
|PSD
|-
|João Bosco Mota Amaral <small>(replaced Rebelo de Sousa)</small>
! width="1px" style="background:;" |
|PSD
|-
|José Gomes Canotilho
! width="1px" style="background:;" |
|PS
|-
| rowspan="6" |Elected by Parliament in 2002 (9th Legislature)
|António Barbosa de Melo
! width="1px" style="background:;" |
|PSD
|-
|Eduardo Ferro Rodrigues <small>(resigned Jul. 2004)</small>
! width="1px" style="background:;" |
|PS
|-
|Manuel Alegre <small>(replaced Ferro Rodrigues)</small>
! width="1px" style="background:;" |
|PS
|-
|António Capucho
! width="1px" style="background:;" |
|PSD
|-
|António de Almeida Santos
! width="1px" style="background:;" |
|PS
|-
|Paulo Portas
! width="1px" style="background:;" |
|CDS–PP
|-
| rowspan="7" |Elected by Parliament in 2005 (10th Legislature)
|António de Almeida Santos
! width="1px" style="background:;" |
|PS
|-
|Luís Marques Mendes <small>(resigned Oct. 2007)</small>
! width="1px" style="background:;" |
|PSD
|-
|António Capucho <small>(replaced Marques Mendes)</small>
! width="1px" style="background:;" |
|PSD
|-
|Manuel Alegre
! width="1px" style="background:;" |
|PS
|-
|Jorge Coelho <small>(resigned Apr. 2008)</small>
! width="1px" style="background:;" |
|PS
|-
|José Gomes Canotilho <small>(replaced Coelho)</small>
! width="1px" style="background:;" |
|PS
|-
|Francisco Pinto Balsemão
! width="1px" style="background:;" |
|PSD
|-
| rowspan="5" |Elected by Parliament in 2010 (11th Legislature)
|António de Almeida Santos
! width="1px" style="background:;" |
|PS
|-
|Francisco Pinto Balsemão
! width="1px" style="background:;" |
|PSD
|-
|Manuel Alegre
! width="1px" style="background:;" |
|PS
|-
|António Capucho
! width="1px" style="background:;" |
|PSD
|-
|José Gomes Canotilho
! width="1px" style="background:;" |
|PS
|-
| rowspan="6" |Elected by Parliament in 2011 (12th Legislature)
|Francisco Pinto Balsemão
! width="1px" style="background:;" |
|PSD
|-
|António José Seguro <small>(resigned Sep. 2014)</small>
! width="1px" style="background:;" |
|PS
|-
|Alfredo Bruto da Costa <small>(replaced Seguro)</small>
! width="1px" style="background:;" |
|PS
|-
|Luís Marques Mendes
! width="1px" style="background:;" |
|PSD
|-
|Manuel Alegre
! width="1px" style="background:;" |
|PS
|-
|Luís Filipe Menezes
! width="1px" style="background:;" |
|PSD
|-
| rowspan="5" |Elected by Parliament in 2016 (13th Legislature)
|Carlos César
! width="1px" style="background:;" |
|PS
|-
|Francisco Pinto Balsemão
! width="1px" style="background:;" |
|PSD
|-
|Francisco Louçã
! width="1px" style="background:;" |
|BE
|-
|Adriano Moreira
! width="1px" style="background:;" |
|CDS–PP
|-
|Domingos Abrantes
! width="1px" style="background:;" |
|PCP
|-
| rowspan="5" |Elected by Parliament in 2020 (14th Legislature)
|Carlos César
! width="1px" style="background:;" |
|PS
|-
|Francisco Pinto Balsemão
! width="1px" style="background:;" |
|PSD
|-
|Francisco Louçã
! width="1px" style="background:;" |
|BE
|-
|Rui Rio
! width="1px" style="background:;" |
|PSD
|-
|Domingos Abrantes
! width="1px" style="background:;" |
|PCP
|-
| rowspan="5" |Elected by Parliament in 2022 (15th Legislature)
|Carlos César
! width="1px" style="background:;" |
|PS
|-
|Francisco Pinto Balsemão
! width="1px" style="background:;" |
|PSD
|-
|Manuel Alegre
! width="1px" style="background:;" |
|PS
|-
|António Sampaio da Nóvoa
! width="1px" style="background:;" |
|PS
|-
|Miguel Cadilhe
! width="1px" style="background:;" |
|PSD
|-
| rowspan="5" |Elected by Parliament in 2024 (16th Legislature)
|Francisco Pinto Balsemão <small>(died Oct. 2025)</small>
! width="1px" style="background:;" |
|PSD
|-
|Carlos Moedas
! width="1px" style="background:;" |
|PSD
|-
|Pedro Nuno Santos
! width="1px" style="background:;" |
|PS
|-
|Carlos César
! width="1px" style="background:;" |
|PS
|-
|André Ventura
! width="1px" style="background:;" |
|CH
|}