“There is a clear, global signal in these elections: the people of Braga are saying they want change; there is an orange card for the majority of Juntos por Braga. A significant part of the Braga citizens expressed they wanted change and did not align with the management of Juntos por Braga, although Juntos por Braga won, it is clearly a minority in this election,” stated the former leader of IL, in remarks to the Lusa agency, reacting to the results of Sunday’s municipal elections.
Rui Rocha recalls that he has “always” been “very transparent with the people of Braga,” emphasizing his commitment: either victory in the municipal elections or a position as an opposition councilor, rejecting the possibility of future agreements for forming a majority executive.
“We will be in opposition, we will scrutinize the executive’s actions rigorously, we will be responsible, we will support what seems reasonable in the interest of the Braga citizens, but we assume our position as an opposition, rigorous, demanding, with continuous scrutiny of the executive’s actions. I will be an opposition councilor,” the IL candidate stated.
Regarding the results obtained by the party in Braga, Rui Rocha considers them excellent on a national level, being “one of the best for Iniciativa Liberal in Braga.”
“We have grown significantly, both in the council, where we had no representation and now do, and in the municipal deputies, increasing fourfold. We have also significantly grown in parish representation. Obviously, the candidacy was presented to win, but I would say it is a good result for Iniciativa Liberal in Braga,” emphasized Rui Rocha.
The coalition Juntos por Braga (PSD/CDS-PP/PPM), led by João Rodrigues, won Sunday’s municipal elections for the Braga City Council with 26,378 votes, just 276 more than those obtained by the Somos Braga Coalition (PS/PAN), headed by António Braga.
Both coalitions elected three councilors, matching the number of councilors achieved by the independent movement Amar e Servir Braga, led by Ricardo Silva, who served as president of the Parish Council of São Victor, the largest in the municipality of Braga, for the past 12 years.
The executive of 11 councilors is completed with the election of Rui Rocha for IL and Filipe Aguiar for Chega.
