The next tenant of Palácio de Belém will have a budget of around 25 million euros and a gross monthly salary of close to 12 thousand euros, with representation expenses included. According to Jornal de Notícias, this is a significant increase compared to the amount allocated in 2025.
Reinforced budget and salary update
The global budget allocated to the Presidency of the Republic for 2026 amounts to 25.14 million euros, 2.4 million more than in the previous year, when the budget stood at 22.7 million, according to Executive Digest. This amount includes not only budget allocations, but also own revenue and European financing.
Part of this budget will continue to be executed by the current head of state, as the new president will only take office in March. However, there will be relief in the Presidency’s accounts with the end of Marcelo Rebelo de Sousa’s term, who decided to give up the lifetime subsidy to which he would have been entitled as a former president. The former head of state will only opt for retirement as a retired university professor, for a net value of around 3800 euros per month, representing an approximate loss of 1500 euros per month compared to what he would receive by accumulating the subsidy.
The salary of the President of the Republic was updated in 2025, after the end of the 5% cut applied during the troika period to political office holders and the general update of Civil Service salaries by 2.15%. With these changes, the gross salary rose to 11,718.20 euros, including representation expenses.
For 2026, salaries will be adjusted again by 2.15%, with retroactive effect to January, increasing the gross salary of the head of state to 11,970 euros per month. After deductions from IRS, social contributions and ADSE, the net value is six thousand euros per month.
Budget distribution and structure of the Presidency
The budget of the Presidency of the Republic covers several areas that are fundamental to the functioning of Belém. It includes expenses for the representation of the Republic, namely the salaries of the president’s office, the Civil House and the Military House, as well as subsidies to former heads of State and their respective offices.
Expenses for the Museum of the Presidency of the Republic, created in 2004, including the nucleus installed in the Palácio da Cidadela de Cascais, are also included.
The administrative component includes the costs of personnel, goods and services essential to the functioning of the Palace of Belém, the State Council, the Superior Council for National Defense, the General Secretariat, the medical support service, the communications center and the chancellery of honorary orders.
The current number of employees at the Presidency was not disclosed, despite requests for clarification. It is known, however, that some elements have already left their positions as the end of their mandate approaches, including two advisors who moved to São Bento.
In the social report approved in May 2025, the General Secretariat indicated that, as of December 31, 2024, there were 139 employees, five of which were assigned to the offices of former presidents. At the beginning of Marcelo Rebelo de Sousa’s second term, in March 2021, the Presidency had 242 workers distributed across all bodies and services.
According to , after leaving Belém, Marcelo Rebelo de Sousa plans to move to California, where he will be a guest professor at a university and will take the opportunity to attend the 2028 Olympic Games, to be held in Los Angeles, as revealed by Executive Digest.
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