Former Portuguese Prime Minister António Costa's political rise was dogged by an ongoing influence-peddling investigation and criticisms regarding his English proficiency.

 

Former Portuguese Prime Minister António Costa's political rise was dogged by an ongoing influence-peddling investigation and criticisms regarding his English proficiency. Despite these controversies, he successfully transitioned to the EU level and assumed office as the President of the European Council.

The specific shadows cast over his career include:

• The Criminal Probe: Costa was forced to resign as Prime Minister of Portugal in November 2023 following police raids on his official residence and the launch of a corruption investigation involving lithium mining, green hydrogen, and data centre projects in Sines. Although he has not been charged with a crime and maintains his innocence, the probe remains a persistent issue, further complicated by controversies over whether he was wiretapped without court approval. You can track the timeline of the inquiry via Euronews.com.
• Language Barriers: During his candidacy for the European Council, critics highlighted his limited proficiency in English—one of the European Union's primary working languages. Concerns were frequently raised that his lack of fluency could complicate high-level EU diplomacy, with commentators drawing comparisons to the similar challenges faced by his predecessor, Charles Michel. Read more about the criticism on Brussels Signal.
• The Wiretapping Controversy: Further scrutiny arose when it was revealed in 2025 that the former Prime Minister had been wiretapped during the corruption probe without the legally required prior court approval