Data collected by the independent organisation Votewatch for a consortium of media organisations consisting of Lusa, Púublico, Expresso, Antena 1, RTP, SIC and TVI show that, with an average of participation in votes in plenary sessions in the assembly of 91.46%, members from Portugal were the sixth most participatory among national groups.

"The performance of the Portuguese delegation as a whole is quite positive, when compared to other national representations," states Votewatch in the text accompanying the data. It also judged Portuguese MEPs the eighth most influential.

To calculate the latter, Votewatch analysed a set of criteria, grouped into three different categories: legislative activities (reporting, written reasoned opinions, reports as shadow rapporteur, etc.), leadership positions (positions within political groups, parliamentary committees, among others), and network (seniority, belonging to political parties that are in government back home, affiliation with influential groups).

According to the organisation’s calculation, "the average score" of Portugal’s MEPs puts them at the level of other national groups both larger and smaller.

"Globally, the Portuguese delegation seems to benefit from the absence of the far-right nationalist elements (which currently tend to be more isolated and, consequently, to exert less influence) and the concentration of most Portuguese members in the two largest (and most influential) groups, the European People's Party, and the Progressive Alliance of Socialists and Democrats," the organisation states.

Portugal has 21 seats in the European Assembly – the ninth most numerous group, along with Belgium, the Czech Republic, Greece and Hungary. The largest delegation is that of Germany, with 96, followed by France (74) and Italy and the UK, both with 73.