Trump's economic protectionism policies to pose dangers for Portugal: president

U.S. President-elect Donald Trump's plans for protectionism policies would affect the Portuguese economy, Portuguese President Marcelo Rebelo de Sousa said on Wednesday.

"It is difficult to hold a clear position regarding the new U.S. administration," Rebelo de Sousa said during a conference on Portugal and Europe held at ISCTE University here.

"The first signs are signs of some economic isolationism, or at least economic protectionism," he said, adding it was too soon to confirm whether such policies would come into effect.

Rebelo de Sousa's concerns come amid fears in the international community that Trump could rip up trade agreements, such as the Trans-Pacific Partnership.

Portugal's economy has been turbulent the past few years, and while it exited a 78-billion-euro bailout (82.4 billion U.S. dollars) in 2014, recovery has still been slow, with the economy expected to grow 0.9 percent this year.

Rebelo de Sousa also said he hoped the United States would continue to be "attentive to the world, committed to peace, development, commerce" and to understand the importance of the European Union (EU) as a major ally.

He said the year ahead would be complex, with referendums and elections taking place in several European countries. He also said there was a long, difficult challenge ahead involving negotiations with Britain following the Brexit vote in June. Endit