About us

The Political Observatory represents 220 members, more than 80 researchers, between PhD and associates constitute an extended scientific body. Together they are a large group of researchers, interested in the field of political science, who aim to contribute to the development of political study and national and international political analysis.

By the initiative of Cristina Montalvão Sarmento, along with 70 students of Political Science and International Relations, it was created in 2009 by the Scientific Board of FCSH – Universidade Nova de Lisboa and, since then, in 2010, became autonomous, constituting itself as an non-profit association of scientific research in political studies, gaining autonomy and asserting itself in the civil society as a research center of excellence.

In January 2016, by agreement between the Institute of Social and Political Science (ISCSP- UTL) and the Political Observatory, it became part of the group of laboratories and observatories of the ISCSP – ULisboa, which constitute the repository and potential for the majority of political studies in Portugal. Recognising that this did not in fact happen, the Political Observatory became autonomous again in 2024.