“The President of the Republic must stand by the populations who are enduring great sacrifices but giving their best every day, and in that sense, it is clearly an alternative candidacy to what we have not had,” stated André Pestana to journalists after submitting the signatures at Palácio Ratton in Lisbon.
The candidate highlighted the existing inequalities in a “two-speed country,” where people receive pensions of less than 500 euros per month, while simultaneously, companies are posting record profits.
André Pestana further expressed that his candidacy opposes the privileged, including political parties like the PSD, Chega, and PS, which receive millions of euros from Portuguese taxpayers.
The candidate, who encountered António José Seguro upon arrival, felt discriminated against for not being invited to participate in televised debates among candidates.
“There is also a clear lack of democracy, which violates the Electoral Law requiring equality among all candidacies,” he stressed.
When asked about the number of presidential election candidacies in January, André Pestana viewed “the diversity of ideas” positively.
“We are being robbed, our children’s future is at risk, not only socially, as this liberal reform will further precarize the youth and destroy the planet,” the candidate said, concluding that “it is time to wake up.”
The presidential elections are scheduled for January 18, 2026.
This marks the 12th occasion (including both rounds of the 1986 elections) since 1976 that Portuguese citizens are called to democratically choose their President of the Republic.
Among others, António Filipe (with PCP support), António José Seguro (backed by PS), André Ventura (supported by Chega), Catarina Martins (backed by BE), Henrique Gouveia e Melo, João Cotrim Figueiredo (supported by Iniciativa Liberal), Jorge Pinto (backed by Livre), and Luís Marques Mendes (with PSD support) have announced their candidacies for the presidential elections.
