Portugal press review: abortion, interest rates, and AI impact

Portuguese national newspapers on September 29 highlight several key social and economic issues. Data from the Direção-Geral da Saúde indicates that voluntary abortions stabilized in 2025, with 18,239 procedures recorded; notably, 44% of these cases involved foreign women.

Economic concerns dominate the headlines, specifically the impact of rising interest rates. Reports indicate that mortgage payments have increased by more than 100 euros since the start of the conflict in Iran, affecting thousands of families. Additionally, high interest rates are placing significant pressure on Portuguese and Spanish companies, with 22% of businesses needing to restructure to reduce leverage.

Other major topics include the impact of artificial intelligence on the labor market and wages, following remarks by Christine Lagarde at the European Parliament. Legal and political news includes a new directive from the Procuradoria-Geral da República regarding domestic violence and ongoing investigations involving Nuno Rebelo de Sousa and Marcelo Rebelo de Sousa.