This article examines the contribution of parliamentary diplomacy, within the framework of international parliamentary organisations (IPOs), to the mitigation of ontological insecurity in small states, using Portugal as a case study. Drawing on a qualitative, document-based methodology, the study analyses two emblematic experiences: Portugal’s presidency of the Parliamentary Assembly of the Mediterranean (2017–2019) and its presidency of the NATO Parliamentary Assembly (since 2024). It argues that IPOs function as institutional arenas for identity projection, diplomatic predictability, and normative legitimation, enabling small states to offset material constraints through symbolic leadership, institutional continuity, and international recognition. The article contributes to ongoing debates on ontological security, small state foreign policy, and parliamentary diplomacy as an instrument of soft power.
Nádia Teresa Loureiro (Mon,) studied this question.