Not all ministers who have served in Portuguese governments over the past five decades had professional experience in the areas they were appointed to oversee, CNN Portugal reports.

This is according to a study by the Francisco Manuel dos Santos Foundation (FFMS), released on 14 September, which analysed the career paths of the 507 ministers appointed since 1976.

Professional experience

The study, which was coordinated by António Costa Pinto and Marcelo Camerlo, concludes that 43.4 percent of government officials had a professional background that strongly linked to the job responsibilities assigned to them.

34 percent were categorised as having some experience related to the area, or had prior relevant positions, although not at top level.

113 ministers, representing 22 percent of the total amount, took office without having any professional experience that could be considered relevant to the functions they were trusted with.

Fifty years of data

Over the past half century, the data points to a shift with a progressive increase in the selection of ministers with highly relevant professional experience in their respective fields.

Pedro Passos Coelho's second government stood out for having the highest percentage of ministers with professional backgrounds considered compatible with the job responsibilities assigned to them.

The government was in office for less than a month before giving way to the so-called "geringonça" (left-wing coalition).

The government of Alfredo Nobre da Costa in 1978 had the highest number of ministers who had no relevant experience in the areas they oversaw. That government was formed on the initiative of the president at the time, Ramalho Eanes, and remained in office for just under three months.