Welfare State Development in Portugal From "Stage Zero" to the Post-Crisis "Leftist" Compromise against Austerity

The break with austerity policies in Portugal, carried out after 2015 by a Socialist government supported in parliament by parties on its left, famously named the "contraption", has gained widespread attention throughout Europe and beyond. This is primarily because the "reversal" of austerity has been successful, restoring social rights and living standards while maintaining the state's financial equilibrium. The emergence of this innovative political solution cannot be understood without reference to the history of the Portuguese welfare state and the debates surrounding its future. For this reason, this article will cover how the Portuguese social model took shape after the democratic turn in 1974, the political and social consensus that underpins it and the political forces that vie for its transformation.