From Porto, where she monitored the announcement of the results of these municipal elections, Inês de Sousa Real described the victory of Ana Abrunhosa, the leading candidate of the coalition between the PS, Livre, and PAN in Coimbra, and Marco Almeida, heading the coalition of PPD/PSD, Iniciativa Liberal, and PAN in Sintra, as significant triumphs. These are “two municipalities where PAN will have the opportunity to make a difference and also influence municipal policies.”
“On the other hand, we lost some representations. But the overall evaluation is naturally always positive, not only regarding this local governance work but also concerning what will be the policy of proximity,” added the PAN spokesperson.
Inês de Sousa Real further argued that voters favored coalitions, “indicating an expectation from the electorate for greater ability for dialogue and work bridges between various political parties,” citing Sintra and Coimbra as examples.
These coalition victories achieved by PAN demonstrate, according to Inês de Sousa Real, “very clearly that parties need to reinvent themselves and understand that today there is a different expectation from people, who do not care whether parties are left or right to solve their problems.”
With the results for Lisbon’s City Council still pending, but with Carlos Moedas assuming victory in these municipal elections, the PAN spokesperson also wanted to express gratitude to Alexandra Leitão, the leading candidate of the “Viver Lisboa” coalition (PS/Livre/BE/PAN), for the “absolutely extraordinary work done over these months.”
