President: Anibal Cavaco SilvaAnibal Cavaco Silva won the January 2006 presidential poll, becoming the first centre-right president since the coup of 1974. He defeated two Socialist candidates to win a first round election victory.
The president's role is mainly ceremonial, but incumbents can appoint prime ministers, dissolve parliament and call elections.
Prime minister: Jose SocratesVictory in February 2005 elections went to the Socialist Party led by Jose Socrates. The Socialists gained their first absolute majority in parliament since democracy returned to Portugal in 1974.
On taking office, Mr Socrates said his priority would be to revive the economy - which has been near the bottom of the European league tables for years - and to stem rising unemployment.
His government has since sharply cut spending, by reducing pensions, raising the retirement age and withdrawing civil service benefits in an attempt to reduce one of Europe's biggest budget deficits.
The reforms - which some claim are destroying social rights - have prompted repeated protests mostly among public sector workers.
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