Almada Election Shake-Up: New Leftist Coalition Targets Real Estate Speculation and Housing Crisis

Almada Election Shake-Up: New Leftist Coalition Targets Real Estate Speculation and Housing Crisis

The political landscape in Almada, a key municipality in the Lisbon metropolitan area, is set for a significant shift as the Left Bloc (BE) and Livre parties have officially formed a coalition, “Almada em Comum,” for the local elections scheduled for October 12, 2025. The alliance has announced a progressive and ecological policy platform with the explicit objective of tackling the municipality's severe housing crisis, combating real estate speculation, and countering the effects of gentrification. This development introduces a new dynamic into the local political scene, directly challenging the development and housing policies of the past eight years.

The coalition’s formation is a direct response to what it describes as the failure of the previous municipal executive, a coalition between the Socialist Party (PS) and the Social Democratic Party (PSD). In a public statement, “Almada em Comum” asserted that the incumbent government “failed to respond to social, territorial, and population challenges and surrendered to real estate speculation, the degradation of public services, and backroom politics.” The coalition aims to establish a new governance model rooted in solidarity and human rights, presenting a clear alternative to the central bloc's policies and the perceived threat of the growing far-right.

The strategic initiative will be implemented through a common electoral program, which the coalition states is open to public participation. The program is designed to reconcile the historical legacy of left-wing municipal work in Almada with new, progressive ideas and participatory democracy. The primary policy objectives are centered on housing, ecology, mobility, and sustainable local economic development. The coalition's public declarations indicate a strong intent to intervene in the local property market, a move that will be closely watched by investors and property owners. “Housing is our cause,” the official statement reads, detailing “proposals to combat real estate speculation, uncontrolled tourism, the increase in house prices and rents, and the gentrification of our council.”

The coalition will field candidates for all municipal bodies, including the City Council and Parish Assemblies. The mayoral candidate is Sérgio Lourosa Alves from the Livre party, a history professor and singer, with Sandra Cunha from the Left Bloc, a sociologist and former national parliamentarian, also taking a leading role. The list of candidates for various parish assemblies includes a mix of academics, activists, and professionals, such as Jefferson Oliveira (BE) for the Municipal Assembly and Martim de Freitas (Livre) for the Almada parish union. This broad slate of candidates is intended to demonstrate the coalition's deep roots in the local community and its commitment to a grassroots political project.

The budget allocation and funding mechanisms for these ambitious policies have not yet been detailed, but the coalition's platform implies a significant redirection of municipal resources towards public housing and urban regeneration projects. The plan also calls for a focus on the local economy to reduce Almada's dependency on Lisbon, transforming it from a “dormitory city” into a hub of sustainable development and innovation. This includes a revival of the region's historical cooperativism and investment in proximity public services.

Stakeholder consultation is a professed cornerstone of the coalition's strategy, which aims to build a broad base of political support among residents who feel marginalized by the current housing market. The expected economic and social impact of their proposed policies could be substantial, potentially leading to stricter regulations on short-term rentals, new taxes on vacant properties, and a greater emphasis on affordable housing projects. According to a source within the Livre party, the withdrawal of their initial mayoral candidate, Eduardo Raposo, for personal reasons has not dampened the coalition's resolve.

The political opposition has yet to issue a formal response to the coalition's detailed platform, but the announcement is expected to intensify the political debate in the run-up to the October election. The focus on “uncontrolled tourism” and “real estate speculation” places the practices of developers and foreign investors directly in the political crosshairs. The success of “Almada em Comum” could set a precedent for other municipalities in the Lisbon area facing similar pressures from tourism and global property investment, potentially signaling a leftward shift in housing policy across the region.

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