After Mariana Mortágua announced today that she does not intend to run again for the coordination of the BE, the process for electing the new national organs of the party continues, with the general meeting scheduled for November 29 and 30.
The Bloquista was the primary proposer of Motion ‘A’, titled “Resist to Turn the Game”, in which Mortágua acknowledged errors and was managing a “militant party in reconfiguration”, following the worst electoral result ever in the legislative elections in May, which led the party to a unique representation in parliament.
Now, with Mortágua’s departure, it will be up to the subscribers of Motion ‘A’ to decide their proposal for coordination and the list they will present to compose the National Board.
Among the names of the proposers of this motion are several leaders from the party’s core, such as Fabian Figueiredo (also number two on the party’s list for the Lisbon electoral circle and a potential successor to Mortágua in parliament), Jorge Costa, Joana Mortágua, Marisa Matias, Catarina Martins, Adriano Campos, or Pedro Filipe Soares.
The subscribers also include names like José Manuel Pureza and the founders Francisco Louçã, Luís Fazenda, and Fernando Rosas.
At the Bloquista convention, orientation motions (whose submission deadline ended in June) and lists for the National Board of the party will be voted on, the highest organ between conventions, consisting of members of the various presented lists, proportionate to the votes they receive.
The leader of the most voted list assumes the role of coordinator—a position not formally stipulated in the BE’s statutes.
According to the regulation of the next convention, candidate lists for the National Board and the Rights Commission must be subscribed to by a minimum of 15 delegates “and are bound to present Orientation Motions admitted to voting at the Convention.”
Four more orientation motions were submitted besides the one headed by Mariana Mortágua. One of them is Motion ‘S’, which includes elements that were part of Mariana Mortágua’s list at the National Board at the last party convention in 2023, such as the leader Adelino Fortunato and former deputies to the Assembly of the Republic Heitor Sousa and Alexandra Vieira.
Motions ‘B’, titled “Rebuild for a New Political Cycle”, ‘C’, “More Block, Less Tendencies” and ‘H’, which states it is “Time to Restart”, have also been submitted.
All opposing motions to the current leadership point out a lack of internal democracy and ask for more attention to the grassroots.
The BE is facing one of the most challenging moments in its history, after achieving its worst-ever result in legislative elections in May this year, moving from five to a single deputy and losing municipal representation in this month’s ballot, going from five councilors and 94 municipal deputies to one councilor in Lisbon and a total of 17 deputies in municipalities and parishes.
Mariana Mortágua was elected coordinator of the BE in May 2023 for a two-year term, which was extended after the date was initially rescheduled due to early legislative elections in May and a new internal process opened following this ballot’s outcome.
At 39, the economist Mortágua gained prominence in the inquiry commission to BES and succeeded Catarina Martins in the coordination of the BE, currently a candidate for the Presidency of the Republic supported by the Bloquistas.
The current lone deputy has already indicated she will remain in the Assembly of the Republic until the end of November, concluding the budget process and stepping back when her term concludes.
Mortágua expressed willingness to continue working in the party.
