Profile

António Ramalho Eanes was born in Alcains, Castelo Branco. A military officer, statesman, and politician, he is a central figure in the contemporary history of Portugal and an ethical and institutional reference for the country. . A career military officer, he rose from second lieutenant (1957) to the rank of four-star general (1976), and was formally promoted to general in 1978, having declined the promotion to marshal in 2000. He served missions in Goa, Macau, Mozambique, Guinea, and Angola, standing out for his military leadership during the democratic consolidation process following the 25 April 1974 Revolution.

He was Chief of Staff of the Army (1975–1976) and the first President of the Republic to be democratically elected after the revolution, serving two terms (1976–1986). During his presidency, he promoted the de-politicization of the Armed Forces and the stability of the democratic regime. Immediately after leaving the office of Head of State, he served for one year as president of the Democratic Renewal Party (PRD), after which he distanced himself from any party affiliation. Having distanced himself from active politics, he continues to participate as a speaker at events on civic and strategic matters. He earned a PhD in Political Science from the University of Navarra (2006) and was President of the Board of Trustees of ISCTE (2009–2015). He was awarded an honorary doctorate by the University of Lisbon (2010) and received the Ilídio Pinho Foundation Grand Prize – Leadership (2025). He is a lifetime member of the Council of State.

He has been awarded the highest Portuguese honors, including the Grande-Colar da Ordem Militar da Torre e Espada (1986), the Ordem da Liberdade (2015) and the Ordem Militar de Avis (2025), among many other national and international decorations, such as the Legion of Honour (1979) and the Grand Collar of the Order of Timor-Leste (2012).