António Filipe, a candidate for the presidential elections, stated on Wednesday he is running for Belém “with the support of the Communist Party,” emphasizing, however, that it is “a candidacy that is not limited to a party framework” and clarifying that he is running for “a unipersonal body and a suprapartisan role.”
“At this moment, the Right controls all the branches of sovereignty. It has a majority in the Assembly of the Republic, it has the Government, it has the President of the Republic, who comes from the PSD,” he said when questioned on the SIC Notícias program ‘Importa-se de repetir?’ regarding his statements at the presidential campaign launch about being a candidacy capable of uniting democrats with the values of April without reservations.
“It is a candidacy for a suprapartisan body. In that sense, my candidacy is not from a party framework. I am supported by the Communist Party, but this candidacy is directed towards all Portuguese people and in the exercise of the presidential role. The President of the Republic is someone who has a role of arbitration to ensure respect for the Constitution in the activity of the different branches of sovereignty according to their responsibilities,” he noted.
When asked if António José Seguro and Luís Marques Mendes do not align with the values of April, António Filipe emphasized that they do not “have the same conception of what the role of the President of the Republic should be.”
“I don’t pass judgment on them. However, the way I understand that the President of the Republic should exercise his functions, ensuring the fulfillment of the Constitution and doing so within his competencies – I believe the President of the Republic should not exceed his competencies. We should not adhere to the idea of wanting a strong-willed President of the Republic. He has his competencies and should respect them and not exceed them, but should exercise them,” he continued.
Teresa Banha com Lusa | 18:27 – 14/07/2025
“Militares têm todo o direito de se candidatar”
The candidate for Belém emphasized that he “does not identify with candidates from the ‘centrão'” referring to António José Seguro and Luís Marques Mendes.
Regarding whether he was more motivated to run because there is also a military candidate, António Filipe said “no.” “I think the military have every right, just like non-military citizens, to run for office.”
“We have already had a military President of the Republic, who was General Ramalho Eanes […]. I believe a citizen can be military and has the right to run. I believe that, connected to Admiral Gouveia e Melo’s candidacy and its announcement, there are ideas of a certain personal power and I do not identify with that,” he noted.
He further stated that “among the candidates presented,” his “candidacy is not substitutable for any of them.” “I have my own space, which is directed at all citizens, and it is not a party candidacy. Throughout my political activity, I have held a suprapartisan position as Deputy Speaker of the Assembly of the Republic, and during those 12 years, I directed many hours to the Assembly of the Republic, and no one ever questioned the impartiality with which I exercised the office.”
“It is not excessive modesty to say I demonstrated the ability to build bridges with various political forces, exercising a suprapartisan position,” he referred.
‘Corrida’ a Belém? “Neste momento, está zero a zero”
António Filipe reiterated in the same space on SIC Notícias that “this candidacy is to go to the polls” and is directed “to all citizens.”
“At this moment, it’s zero to zero. The current President of the Republic cannot run for re-election, so there is no incumbent. We launched this candidacy with very positive expectations because we have clear signs of support beyond the borders of the Communist Party and even from people who, in the past, voted for other political forces. We remain with a very positive outlook, from the announcement [of the candidacy] and since the launch we did last Monday,” he added.
The former Deputy Speaker of the Assembly of the Republic stated he wants to “make a candidacy very close to people’s problems” and sees “many tactical statements from other candidates on balances, on policies, on consensus, on stability,” adding that “what the President of the Republic should be concerned with are the problems people feel in their daily lives.”
“The President does not govern, but he is important. His political positioning concerning issues relevant to the Portuguese and his concern is important,” he stressed.
Lusa | 20:02 – 14/07/2025
Sobre Marcelo Rebelo de Sousa, António Filipe stressed that he is not his adversary. However, he pointed out that the current President of the Republic performed “poorly,” for instance, when he dissolved the Assembly of the Republic after the 2022 State Budget was not approved.
“My adversaries are those who are currently in the field and I believe I have a vision that distinguishes itself. It is not replaceable by those that exist, and I believe this candidacy will not withdraw, regardless of whoever the candidates may be who are presented,” he stated.
