Volt Portugal Backs PS-Livre Coalition in Sintra, Citing Need to Counter Far-Right
The political party Volt Portugal has formally announced its support for the 'As Pessoas, Sempre' coalition, comprised of the Socialist Party (PS) and Livre, in the upcoming municipal elections for Sintra. The announcement, made on Tuesday, August 19, positions the centrist party behind the coalition's mayoral candidate, former minister Ana Mendes Godinho of the PS. The party stated its decision was driven by a “sentido de responsabilidade perante a ameaça da extrema-direita” (a sense of responsibility in the face of the far-right threat) in what is the nation's second most populous municipality. This development sets a new dynamic in the local race, where the incumbent Socialist party has held power for the last 12 years under Mayor Basílio Horta.
The move is strategically significant given the results of the last legislative elections, in which the Chega party secured the highest number of votes in Sintra. Chega has put forward deputy Rita Matias as its candidate for the mayoralty, aiming to capitalize on its recent electoral success. The formation of a broader center-left front appears to be a direct response to this political shift. In a formal statement, Volt's co-president, Inês Bravo Figueiredo, stressed the objective of the alliance is to “garantir uma liderança e uma equipa em Sintra que resolve em vez de dividir” (guarantee a leadership and a team in Sintra that solves instead of divides). Figueiredo further elaborated that Volt will contribute with a focus on dialogue, innovation for job creation, and improving public services.
Duarte Costa, also co-president of Volt, added that the party intends to bring “ideias novas e soluções concretas” (new ideas and concrete solutions) to the coalition, particularly concerning environmental protection and sustainable mobility. He clarified that the support is not unconditional, describing it as not being a “cheque em branco” (blank check) and pointed out that Volt secured 457 votes in the last legislative elections within the municipality. This indicates a desire to have a tangible influence on the coalition's policy platform and future governance should they be successful. The focus on specific policy areas like housing, mobility, and environment could signal the future priorities of a potential Godinho administration.
The coalition's candidate, Ana Mendes Godinho, publicly expressed her satisfaction with the new endorsement. She stated that the support from Volt represents confidence in her team's “capacidade de concretização e de resolução dos problemas das pessoas de Sintra” (capacity for implementation and for solving the problems of the people of Sintra). She specifically highlighted key areas of concern for residents that her administration would tackle, including housing, public security, urban hygiene, and mobility. These issues are central to the quality of life in the rapidly growing municipality and are often key considerations for both residents and investors in the local property market.
The electoral contest in Sintra is now clearly defined with several key political forces in contention. Beyond the newly expanded PS-Livre-Volt coalition and Chega, the race includes Marco Almeida, representing a center-right alliance of PSD, IL, and PAN. Other candidates include Maurício Rodrigues for the conservative CDS-PPM-ADN coalition, Pedro Ventura for the Communist-Green CDU coalition, Tânia Russo for the Left Bloc, and Júlio Gourgel Ferreira for the New Right party. The diverse field of candidates reflects the complex and evolving political sentiment within the municipality, making the election's outcome highly anticipated and consequential for the future direction of local policy.
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