Portugal's Democratic Paradox
Portugal faces the challenge of rebuilding faith in democratic institutions while delivering on citizens' rising expectations, fifty years after dictatorship.
As a late democracy, Portugal occupies a unique position in Europe, having consolidated its democratic institutions and welfare state as the age of misinformation and populism began.
Portuguese citizens simultaneously rely on and question their state institutions, producing a society caught between dependence and doubt.
This paradox is characterized by citizens recognizing their state's role in providing universal services, yet frequently questioning its capacity to deliver effective solutions.
Author's summary: Portugal's democracy faces a crisis of trust.