Professor José João Abrantes awarded the Grand Cross of the Military Order of Christ
- 2 de July de 2026
José João Abrantes, Retired Full Professor at NOVA School of Law and former President of the Constitutional Court, was awarded the Grand Cross of the Military Order of Christ by the President of the Republic, António José Seguro, in a ceremony held in the Ambassadors’ Room at Belém Palace in Lisbon.
During the ceremony, the Head of State recognised Professor Abrantes’ contribution during a “singular and challenging” period in the life of the Constitutional Court, emphasising that this tribute honours his performance of duties with “total dedication, institutional loyalty, and a profound sense of public service“.
Professor José João Abrantes recently stepped down as a judge and President of the Constitutional Court, a position he held after being elected as a judge of that body in 2020. Upon receiving the decoration, he expressed “great emotion” and a “heightened sense of responsibility”, emphasising his commitment to continuing to contribute to a “freer, fairer and more fraternal country”, in reference to the preamble of the Constitution of the Portuguese Republic.
Academic and professional career
José João Abrantes is a graduate and Master’s degree holder from the Faculty of Law at the University of Lisbon. He holds a PhD in Law from the University of Bremen and an Aggregation in Law from NOVA School of Law. He has been a professor at the NOVA School of Law since 2000.
A specialist in Labour Law, he is a member of several national and international scientific associations and networks. He is also the Portuguese national expert of the European Labour Law Network, which supports the European Commission’s Directorate-General for Employment, Social Affairs and Equal Opportunities. He served as Vice-President of APODIT — the Portuguese Labour Law Association — for seven years.
Throughout his career, he has carried out extensive national and international work as a specialist and consultant in the field of labour law, particularly in matters of European and International Labour Law, providing consultancy and technical assistance to various ministries, including the Ministry of Labour, as well as other public institutions.
José João Abrantes is the author of a substantial body of work published in Portugal and abroad. He has written over one hundred publications covering various areas of law, with a particular focus on labour law, as well as civil law, civil procedure, constitutional law and fundamental rights.
The awarding of the Grand Cross of the Military Order of Christ recognises an academic, scientific and institutional career marked by public service, dedication to the Law and a contribution to Portuguese constitutional life.