Transparency, Data Production, and Access to Information in Portugal: A Critical Analysis for Improving the Quality of Democracy

Abstract

A year after Portugal commemorated half a century of democracy, we propose a critical examination of data production, access to information, and transparency in the relationship between institutions and citizens – key dimensions that reflect the quality of democracy. This analysis is guided by a central question: how does Portugal position itself in terms of transparent governance and data availability? To address this question, we focus on four core areas: government transparency in conflict-of-interest regulations and anti-corruption efforts; judicial data and administrative documents; parliamentary data; and ethnic-racial data. Drawing on both scholarly and journalistic perspectives, this article offers a diagnostic assessment of: (a) existing challenges and structural problems; (b) their underlying causes; and (c) their broader political and societal implications. While necessarily partial and subject to refinement, this exploratory assessment seeks to advance a critical yet often overlooked debate on transparency and its role in shaping the quality of democracy in Portugal.