Lisbon’s Quiet Realpolitik: How Portugal Outmanoeuvres Its European Peers

When high-ranking diplomats tour Europe, they typically offer the usual boilerplate speeches about shared values before returning home. Marco Rubio’s recent stop in Lisbon, the final leg of a tour across three NATO member states following a speech in Athens on Western civilisation, carried a distinctly different weight. While socialist-led Spain locks its doors to transatlantic military cooperation, Portugal quietly positions itself as a pragmatic actor in European politics, leveraging its geography and economic momentum to win favour in Washington.

The economic numbers speak for themselves. American investors channelled over $20 billion into the Portuguese economy last year, contrasted with $2 billion flowing in the opposite direction. Rubio was quick to label the nation an ideal gateway for American technology firms seeking access to Europe—a logical assessment for a country that manages to stand out in an otherwise sclerotic, bureaucratically burdened European Union. Lisbon's sensible approach to international business offers a sharp contrast to the economic malaise seen across the border in Madrid.

This strategic alignment extends directly into military policy. Unlike Spanish Prime Minister Pedro Sánchez, who refused to let American forces use domestic bases for operations tied to the conflict with Iran, Lisbon adopted a far more cooperative stance regarding the Lajes Field air base in the Azores. First utilised during the Second World War and equipped with a long runway capable of handling heavy military aircraft, the Cold War-era refueling hub has once again become central to transatlantic military operations.

This cooperation continues despite internal legal scrutiny. Following a formal complaint from the left-wing Left Bloc, the Portuguese attorney general's office is examining whether the use of Lajes Field was lawful, while Foreign Minister Paulo Rangel stressed that Portuguese authorization excludes any actions that breach international law. Rubio nevertheless praised Lisbon’s military spending, emphasizing that NATO exists, more than anything else, as a defensive alliance that acts as a deterrent against hostility, and it has served us well for decades. The bilateral partnership has also proven effective in law enforcement, with Portuguese and American agencies collaborating to seize 200 tonnes of cocaine in recent years.

During his meeting with Prime Minister Luís Montenegro in Lisbon, neither leader spoke to reporters, allowing the results of the visit to speak for themselves. In a European continent frequently hindered by institutional inertia and misguided socialist economic experiments, Portugal demonstrates how a well-positioned nation can quietly maximize its international standing.

Written by Sandy van Dongen sandy.vandongen@alpineweekly.com