Portugal: the resistance against European Union multilevel governance

Portugal is one of the most centralized countries in the European Union. While the European Union has been an essential factor in trying to change this Portuguese reality, after almost four decades of integration, centralizing tendencies persist. Such a centralization benefits certain areas, while neglecting the needs of peripheral regions. The result has been a permanent population flux toward the west coast, where most jobs are located, leaving behind older people who cannot move to the main urban cities. Depopulation has continued due to financial crises, demographic factors, and migration. This chapter looks briefly at the historical path dependency of the centralization process, presents core data on territorial organization and sociodemographic features, and discusses political parties and electoral system at the local level. The chapter also offers some reflections on local governance and the impact of European Union multilevel governance.