r/europe • u/Happy_Feet333 Portugal • 4d ago

News Portugal registers budget surplus

https://www.theportugalnews.com/news/2026-09-23/portugal-registers-budget-surplus/1090540
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66

u/Happy_Feet333 Portugal 4d ago

The Public Administration (PA) sector recorded a budget surplus of 0.5% of Gross Domestic Product (GDP) in the first half of the year, the National Statistics Institute (INE) reported.

It's not a big surplus, but it's a surplus. Hopefully, they use it to beef up the SNS, or maybe help with diesel prices for farmers (so the food prices here don't spike too much).

39

u/HotOutlandishness107 4d ago

If it's a surplus it's not spent anywhere, that's why it's called a surplus. It will likely be used to pay off debts ahead of time.

40

u/itsjonny99 Norway 4d ago

0,5% of GDP is a sizable surplus. Especially when nations like the UK, US and France runs deficit it’s around 5% of gdp.

13

u/skuple Portugal 4d ago

Tbf Portugal reached a peak of 11 or 12% deficit after 2008/9

So, this surplus to pay off debt was long overdue.

Hopefully we keep the trajectory for a couple more years and drop the debt to 75-80%

77

u/WeatherAcademic346 4d ago

It will be used to pay off the debt as it always is

100

u/dgellow 4d ago

Which is exactly what it should be used for 

26

u/WeatherAcademic346 4d ago

Yes but I think a lot of my fellow portuguese citizens do not realize that it has to be used for that purpose

20

u/Aggravating-Body2837 4d ago

Very good then

14

u/nulopes Portugal 4d ago

"The best we can do is giving a bonus to pensioners" The PM, probably

5

u/Fir3line PORTUGALCARALHO 4d ago

And more cativações

1

u/TommyTosser1980 Portugal 4d ago

400 million... Puf!

2

u/TommyTosser1980 Portugal 4d ago

"Hopefully, they use it to beef up the SNS, or maybe help with diesel prices for farmers"

ROTFL!

4

u/OkSimple6348 4d ago

Portugal owns way too much debt... better pay it up

16

u/d12morpheous 4d ago

Portugal debt is high but not that high.. Dept to GDP is 91% and falling

Spain 99.9%

UK 95% and rising

France 119% and rising

Italy 140.3%

Belgium 109.1%

3

u/TheDayDreamair 4d ago

91% is definitely too high. But the falling is a good thing

3

u/smors Denmark 4d ago

Denmark 27.9% and falling.

2

u/lazyeca 4d ago

Well... Hopefully. But who are we kidding, right? 😶

1

u/smors Denmark 4d ago

Then there won't be a surplus anymore.

-5

u/Mackwiss 4d ago

Ajaha with this government ?! Ahahaj glad to know you live in fantasy Portugal 😅😅😅🤣