“It is a significant reinforcement. Our primary goal was to have representatives elected in all local government bodies, in all parishes, the municipal assembly, and the chamber. We achieved that objective, and we will directly influence the lives of the people of Porto. We do not hide that we would have liked to have more, a greater reinforcement, to have more strength. (…) But we respect democracy, the result,” he stated.
Despite the “first objective achieved,” he noted there was “the ambition to have at least two councilors.” He previously said on Friday that it would be “a defeat” not to achieve this, even if the result was still seen as a triumph.
“We do not hide. We failed that second objective, accomplishing the first. But we accept the result. It is the popular result that we must respect. We will work with this team, which is already large, in defense of the city and the interests of the people of Porto,” he remarked, also greeting those elected in the municipality’s parishes and in the municipal assembly.
When questioned about being the only councilor elected outside the PSD/CDS-PP/IL coalition, which won the elections with Pedro Duarte at the helm, and the PS, led by Manuel Pizarro, he considered the result “entails more responsibility.”
“Democracy thrives on plurality; that’s why it exists. By losing plurality, democracy always loses, but it brings us more responsibility. We want to work well, we want to make strides in these four years listening to all the people of Porto, not only those who voted for us,” he asserted.
With these results, he said, “Porto finds itself in a scenario where there is no majority,” with Chega seeking to assume “a preeminent role in the city’s governance,” a position that leaves them “proud.”
“We ran to govern the city. But we respect the results. We are a new party. (…) We will not create problems for the city but work on solutions. We will work, naturally, with those who won, but with all the elected,” he mentioned.
Regarding governance agreements, Corte-Real recalled that “Pedro Duarte has already stated that he does not want to make agreements, as Manuel Pizarro also said.”
Pedro Duarte “will want to govern the city in minority. It is his responsibility,” he concluded.
Candidates for the Porto City Council included Manuel Pizarro (PS), Diana Ferreira (CDU – PCP/PEV coalition), Nuno Cardoso (Porto Primeiro – NC/PPM coalition), Pedro Duarte (PSD/CDS-PP/IL coalition), Sérgio Aires (BE), current vice-president Filipe Araújo (Fazer à Porto – independent), Guilherme Alexandre Jorge (Volt), Hélder Sousa (Livre), Miguel Corte-Real (Chega), Frederico Duarte Carvalho (ADN), Maria Amélia Costa (PTP), and Luís Tinoco Azevedo (PLS).
