Instituto Progresso think tank launches to test public policies

The Instituto Progresso, a new think tank aimed at testing public policies through pilot projects, was launched on August 26. Presided over by Socialist Party (PS) deputy Miguel Costa Matos, the organization describes itself as a “test tube” designed to transition “from good practice to good policy.”

While primarily associated with the center-left, the institute presents itself as a plural space open to various political sensibilities, including members of the PSD and the Livre party. The founding manifesto includes nearly 200 subscribers, featuring former government members such as Duarte Cordeiro, Maria Manuel Leitão Marques, and Mário Campolargo, as well as current deputies and the Mayor of Oeiras, Isaltino Morais.

The institute intends to move beyond theoretical debate by developing detailed proposals and testing them through partnerships with companies, municipalities, and social solidarity institutions (IPSS) before potential large-scale implementation.