At the X Convention of IL in Alcobaça, Rui Malheiro, who garnered 26.6% of the votes in the party’s last convention in February, chose not to voice internal criticism but instead focused on the upcoming municipal elections. He viewed these elections as an opportunity to demonstrate to the Portuguese people “the power and strength” of liberal ideas.
“Our focus should always be on defeating any statism, committed to freedom. Since our foundation, our great party has fought to prove that the statist socialism of all governing parties must fall once and for all,” he stated.
According to Rui Malheiro, the “fight of socialism is not improving the quality of life or promoting social mobility,” but rather “general impoverishment, creating dependency on a paternalistic State.”
“Our flags are exactly the opposite: to ensure everyone enjoys political, social, and economic freedom,” he said, emphasizing that for liberals, what truly matters are ideas, not individuals.
“Here we are today — not as many as we’d like, it’s true — to demonstrate that this party is different and doesn’t rely solely on leaders. What indeed matters to us are the liberal ideas we bring to our fellow citizens so they can thrive in freedom,” he mentioned.
Rui Malheiro asserted that the current period “continues to be a time to combat all forms of socialism, whether more pink, more orange, more red, more green, more populist, or less demagogic,” before calling for unity.
“To fulfill this mission, never forget, we are all few. We must always count on everyone, even with those with whom we have disagreements on certain topics. Because it is truly freedom that unites us,” he stated, addressing Mariana Leitão to assure her that she can rely on him for anything needed.
Despite Rui Malheiro’s appeal, who led the internal opposition to Rui Rocha at the last convention, some criticisms of the leadership were heard during the speeches in the early afternoon, with member Filipe Mendonça arguing that the party is “disengaged internally and without political weight externally.”
“This happened because IL abandoned the center where it was born. It left the center to retreat to the right, believing it would gain power. We traded the strength of our convictions for imaginary ministries. The result is visible,” he said.
Filipe Mendonça claimed that when the country supported its ideals, it moved from “zero to eight deputies,” but when it attempted “to imitate something populist and conservative,” it stagnated.
“The initial dream was of a party in the middle of the chamber, at the political center. A party walking on its own, without being anyone’s crutch. In that initial dream, this party defended the reform of the State with the same energy it fought those who want to destroy liberal democracies,” he said, stressing that for the party, “a life in Venezuela or Ukraine was worth the same as in Gaza Strip.”
Then, addressing Mariana Leitão, Filipe Mendonça said that when he read her global strategy motion, he looked for “signs of change” and “a return to the initial dream,” but found only, in “56 pages, half a page on the country of liberties” and a “complete blackout on social flags.”
“IL moves away from its history, the country, and the real lives of those who saw this party as a breath of fresh air, irreverent and so uncomfortable when we said we were neither left nor right. This is the IL I will miss, and I think the country will too,” he said.
