Maria do Céu Antunes

Maria do Céu Antunes was born in Abrantes in 1970. 

She graduated in Biochemistry from the University of Coimbra Faculty of Science and Technology and has a postgraduate degree in Food Safety and Quality Management from the Egas Moniz Higher Institute for Health Science.

She was Mayor of Abrantes for 9 years and, since 2013, chaired the Intermunicipal Council of the Middle-Tagus Intermunicipal Community.

She was member of the Economic and Social Council and the Council of European Municipalities and Regions on the Permanent Committee for Gender Equality in Local Life.

She is a member of the Steering Committee for the Central Regional Operational Programme - Centro 2020 and the Executive Committee of the Regional Body for Tourism in the Centre of Portugal, and also presides over the board of TecParques – Portuguese Association of Science and Technology Parks. 

She has been distinguished with "Municipality +responsible for families", "Living in Equality Municipal Award" "The Tesla Sustainable Leadership Award", Leadership category, "Women of the Decade in Public Life Award" and the All Ladies League accolade.

She was Secretary of State for Regional Development from February 2019 in Prime Minister António Costa’s 1st Government and Minister of Agriculture in Prime Minister António Costa’s 2nd Government.