Born in 1960. Santarém, Guarda, Castelo Branco. Chairman of the JSD (Social Democrat Youth), 1986-1988. Chairman of the Portuguese-Atlantic Young Politicians Association, 1988-1992. Member of the Portuguese Parliament, first elected at 19. Secretary of State for Education, 1994-1995. MEP in 1994 and since 1998. Chairman of the Temporary Committee on the alleged use of European countries by the CIA for the transport and illegal detention of prisoners, 2006-2007. MEP from 1998-2019 and since 2023.