Ana Margarida Balseiro de Sousa Lopes (born 24 September 1989) is a Portuguese jurist and politician. She was a member of the Assembly of the Republic of Portugal as a member of the liberal-conservative Social Democratic Party (PSD) and a former president of Social Democratic Youth (JSD), the youth wing of the PSD. Following the 2024 national election she was appointed as Minister of Youth and Modernization by the Prime Minister, Luís Montenegro.[1]
Margarida Balseiro Lopes | |
|---|---|
 Balseiro Lopes in 2024 | |
| Minister of Youth and Modernization | |
| Assumed office 2 April 2024 | |
| Prime Minister | Luís Montenegro |
| Preceded by | Office established |
| Vice President of the Social Democratic Party | |
| In office 3 July 2022 – 19 October 2024 | |
| President | Luís Montenegro |
| Preceded by | António Maló de Abreu |
| Succeeded by | Lucinda Dâmaso |
| President of the Social Democratic Youth | |
| In office 15 April 2018 – 26 July 2020 | |
| Preceded by | Simão Ribeiro |
| Succeeded by | Alexandre Poço |
| Member of the Assembly of the Republic | |
| In office 23 October 2015 – 28 March 2022 | |
| Constituency | Leiria |
| Personal details | |
| Born | Ana Margarida Balseiro de Sousa Lopes 24 September 1989 Marinha Grande, Portugal |
| Political party | Social Democratic |
| Other political affiliations | Social Democratic Youth |
| Alma mater | University of Lisbon |
| Occupation | Jurist • Politician |
Early life and politics
editMargarida Balseiro Lopes was born in Marinha Grande in the Leiria District on 24 September 1989. She has a degree in law from the law faculty of the University of Lisbon, and a master's degree in law and management from the Catholic University of Portugal. She is studying for a doctorate. From her time at school she was active in politics, being president of the students' union. Marinha Grande has a strong left-wing tradition and the youth wing of the liberal-conservative PSD was not functioning there. Lopes was responsible for restarting it. At university she was a student representative on the academic council of the law faculty.[2][3][4]
Political career
editBeginning her political career in Marinha Grande, Lopes then became active in the JSD in Leiria District. She was also a councillor on the Marinha Grande municipal council. In 2015 she was elected as a deputy to the Assembly of the Republic on the PSD list for the Leiria constituency and was re-elected in 2019. In 2017 she went to the United States as part of the Department of State's International Visitor Leadership Program. She has served on the Budget and Finance Committee of the parliament and has been an alternate on the Education, Science, Youth and Sport Committee. In April 2018 she was elected president of the JSD nationally, a position she relinquished in 2020.[2][3][4] She was not a candidate in the 2022 legislative election.
Lopes has been a regular contributor of articles to national Portuguese newspapers, particularly Correio da Manhã.[5]
References
edit- ^ Donn, Natasha (28 March 2024). "Portugal's new government inches closer to 'touchline'". Portugal Resident. Retrieved 29 March 2024.
- ^ a b "Biografia: Ana Margarida Balseiro de Sousa Lopes". Assembleia da República. Retrieved 16 June 2021.
- ^ a b "Margarida Balseiro Lopes". Partido Social Democrata. Retrieved 16 June 2021.
- ^ a b "O meu percurso". Margarida Balseiro Lopes. Retrieved 16 June 2021.
- ^ "Margarida Balseiro Lopes". Correio da Manhã. Retrieved 16 June 2021.
