“We have our proposals […] very clear in the program, unlike the coalition led by the outgoing mayor, whose program is still unknown. I find this regrettable, programs should be public, to be viewed, analyzed, criticized, everything,” said Alexandra Leitão during a campaign event at the Cantina Velha of the University of Lisbon, in the University City.
Emphasizing that “a respectable candidacy must have a program open to criticism,” as voters vote “on programs,” Alexandra Leitão questioned how she can “tell people to vote on programs if the programs are unknown.”
The socialist also noted that the “Por ti, Lisboa” coalition (PSD, CDS-PP and IL), led by Carlos Moedas, has not been represented in “various debates,” creating “a certain opaqueness, which is not good for people to vote consciously.”
Alexandra Leitão dedicated the day to young people and heard them confirm that there are fewer displaced students among university attendees today.
“There are students who enroll and end up quitting, because to pay rent they need to work, but working disrupts their studies, and this is a loss of human capital,” lamented the former Secretary of State for Education, expressing concern over this decline noted this academic year.
“It may be a temporary issue, but it should concern us,” she warned, highlighting that the City Council needs to invest in residences and recalling that only one of the planned ones has opened so far.
As a professor at the Faculty of Law in Lisbon, Alexandra Leitão admitted she hadn’t entered the Cantina Velha “in years” and waited over an hour from getting a ticket to receiving her meal, though she was approached by few young people apart from those in her entourage already connected to party structures.
“Many young people, even if they have political thoughts, for example being a social democrat, do not want to associate [with parties]. They vote for that party, support that party, but don’t want to be actively linked, for example, to a campaign,” acknowledged Tomás Vintém, 17, studying at the Universidade Lusófona and coordinator of the Federation of Socialist Students in Lisbon, to Lusa.
This contrasts with Beatriz Pereira, 22, a candidate for the Lisbon Municipal Assembly for “Viver Lisboa” and a student at NOVA SBE, who believes “young people are very interested in creating a community in the city” and advocates “public policies that genuinely benefit those who want to live in Lisbon.”
From the “Viver Lisboa” coalition, Tomás Vintém hopes they understand that “there are many students who do not live in the Lisbon borough but study” in the capital, which “has to be functional” for everyone.
Competing for the Lisbon City Hall in the upcoming local elections are Carlos Moedas (PSD/CDS-PP/IL), Alexandra Leitão (PS/Livre/BE/PAN), João Ferreira (CDU-PCP/PEV), Bruno Mascarenhas (Chega), Ossanda Líber (Nova Direita), José Almeida (Volt), Adelaide Ferreira (ADN), Tomaz Ponce Dentinho (PPM/PTP), and Luís Mendes (RIR).
Currently, the municipal executive consists of seven members from the “Novos Tempos” coalition – PSD/CDS-PP/MPT/PPM/Aliança, seven from the “Mais Lisboa” coalition – PS/Livre, two from the CDU (PCP/PEV), and one from BE.
