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Health systems in transition
Portugal
6
Table 1.2
Macroeconomic indicators in Portugal, 1995–2015 (selected years)
1995
2000
2005
2010
2015
GDP per capita (current local currency unit
€
)
8 880.5 12 484.7 15 105.0 17 017.7 17 333.3
GDP per capita, PPP (current international US$)
13 687.0 17 852.1 22 072.7 26 924.4 29 214.3
GDP growth rate (annual %)
4.3
3.8
0.8
1.9
1.5
Public expenditure (% of GDP)
a
42.6
42.6
46.7
51.8
48.3
Cash surplus/deficit (% of GDP)
a
–5.2
–3.2
–6.2
–11.2
–4.4
Public debt (% of GDP)
a
58.3
50.3
67.4
96.2
129.0
Unemployment, total (% of labour force)
7.1
3.8
7.6
10.8
12.4
Poverty rate
b,c
n/a
n/a
18.5
18.0
19.0
Income inequality (Gini coefficient)
b
n/a
n/a
37.7
34.2
33.9
Source
: World Bank, 2016.
Notes
: GDP: Gross Domestic Product; PPP: Purchasing Power Parity; n/a: not available.
a
Eurostat, 2016a;
b
INE, 2016a;
c
Population at
risk of poverty provided by the Portuguese National Institute of Statistics (INE) according to Eurostat’s definition: number of people
with an equivalized disposable income below the risk-of-poverty threshold, which is set at 60% of the national median equivalized
disposable income (after social transfers).
1.3 Political context
Following the military coup of 25 April 1974, Portugal adopted a new
Constitution in 1976, which established a democratic republic after 48 years
of dictatorship. The main institutions are: the President of the Republic, the
parliament, the government and the courts.
The president is elected through universal suffrage for a 5-year term. The
parliament has 230 members also elected by direct universal suffrage for a
4-year term. The president appoints the prime minister based on election results
and following consultations with all political parties with parliamentary seats.
The Prime Minister recommends the other members of the government, who
are also appointed by the president. The government develops and guides policy
implementation, while the parliament holds the legislative power.
Portugal is a unitary state, respecting the autonomous regimen of the
Azores and Madeira regions, which have their own regional governments
and parliaments, also elected for a 4-year term. Portugal is divided into
municipalities (
concelhos
), which have their own level of elected government,
and parishes (
freguesias
). Despite some decentralization since the early 2000s,
political power is still very concentrated in the central government. Mainland
Portugal is conceptually divided in five regions (North, Centre, Lisbon and
the Tagus Valley, Alentejo, and Algarve), but regional authorities have no real
decisional power and the government nominates their leaders.