Record Fuel Prices Spark Road Protests Across Portugal

Portugal woke on Monday to another round of fuel price increases, with diesel reaching a record high and motorists staging protests on major roads in response.

Protests and Public Reaction

In the morning, drivers organised a horn protest on the 25 April Bridge, which links Lisbon to Almada on the south bank of the Tagus River. At the same time, a slow, tractor-led march toward Galp’s refinery in Sines (Setúbal district) got under way. Organised via WhatsApp and social media, the demonstrations continued into the afternoon with no scheduled end time.

Social media images showed cars with Portuguese flags and drivers sounding horns. The Lusa news agency reported protesters carrying placards reading "Enough of rising fuel prices" and "Families cannot take any more." The GNR (National Republican Guard) told Lusa that between 60 and 100 vehicles took part.

Price Moves and What They Mean

Projections from the Automobile Club of Portugal (ACP) put the headline increases at €0.15 for diesel (to €2.169 per litre) and €0.12 for petrol (to €2.142 per litre). These headline figures do not include an exceptional, temporary reduction in the Tax on Petroleum Products (ISP) applied by the government; after that cut the net increases were effectively €0.12 for diesel and €0.09 for petrol.

According to calculations by Dinheiro Vivo, Monday’s diesel level is the highest recorded in Portugal. Petrol prices are at their highest since the energy disruption following Russia’s 2022 invasion of Ukraine.

FILE (29.04.2025). Petrol station in Lisbon. - AP Photo/Armando Franca

Context Across Europe

Fuel prices have risen across Europe this year. German reporting indicated petrol also hit a new record there, surpassing the previous peak of €2.203 per litre set in March 2022. Aggregators and EU data place Portugal among the more expensive countries for pump prices: the Fuel-Prices website (21-country sample) ranked Portugal 19th for petrol and 17th for diesel; the EU’s Weekly Oil Prices report (27-member states) ranked Portugal 20th for petrol including tax and 19th for diesel including tax.

Government Response and Market Review

At a press conference, the Portuguese Minister for the Environment and Energy, Maria da Graça Carvalho, said the rise was consistent with trends in other European countries, comparing Portugal with France and noting Spain as an exception. She outlined measures intended to ease the burden: the temporary ISP reduction, an extension of the solidarity gas cylinder scheme and targeted support for agricultural and social sectors. The minister also rejected claims the government was profiting from the situation.

Earlier this year the minister requested a study from the Energy Services Regulatory Authority (ERSE). Published in mid-August, the report found "no evidence of operators taking advantage" and did not observe a systematic "rockets and feathers" effect (prices rising quickly but falling slowly).

Supply-Side Factors And EU-Level Measures

Analysts link the recent price increases to tensions in the Middle East and disruptions in the Strait of Hormuz, which have affected trade flows. Experts also point to limited refining capacity—particularly for diesel—as a structural constraint when crude is available but processing is tight.

An extraordinary tax on oil companies’ profits is under discussion at EU level. According to AFP, the finance ministers of Portugal, Germany, Italy, Austria, Poland and Spain sent a letter to Ireland’s finance minister requesting the issue be raised at the next EU finance ministers’ meeting, scheduled for 18–19 September during Ireland’s rotating EU presidency.

Note: Prices cited reflect published projections and national calculations. The temporary ISP reduction affects net consumer price changes.