Portugal Appoints Hélder Rosalino as New Secretary-General: A Major Government Restructuring

New Appointment in the Government

The Prime Minister's office announced the appointment of Hélder Rosalino as the new Secretary-General of the Government, effective January 1, 2025. This decision is part of a broader reform in the Public Administration aimed at enhancing efficiency and saving costs for the State.

Hélder Rosalino - Reproduction Banco de Portugal

Key Details of the Reform

Alongside Rosalino, four Deputy Secretaries-General have been appointed: Fátima Ferreira, Filipe Pereira, João Rolo, and Mafalda Santos. The reform will lead to the dissolution of 9 entities through mergers, aiming to cut 25% of managerial positions, which is expected to save approximately €4.1 million annually.

"This first phase proceeds with the extinction of 9 entities through the merger in the Government's General Secretariat and other integrating entities, generating significant savings for the State."

The new position is a result of merging three previous General Secretariats (PCM, Economy, and Environment and Energy) and the CEGER (Government Network Management Center).

Benefits of the Restructuring

The government emphasizes that this restructuring will lead to greater resource efficiency and improved service quality due to the centralization of functions in a single entity. This will allow sectoral entities to focus more on their specific governmental activities.

Additionally, the government highlights progress in legal and planning capacities through the State Legal Competence Center (CEJURE) and the Public Policy Planning and Evaluation Center (PLANAPP), aiming to reduce reliance on external services and enhance public policy quality.

Who is Hélder Rosalino?

Hélder Rosalino, 56, previously served as the Secretary of State for Public Administration under Prime Minister Pedro Passos Coelho. He holds a degree in Business Organization and Management from ISCTE and has further qualifications in Taxation and Management. His experience includes roles as a Financial and Management Auditor at Marconi from 1991 to 1994.