“Candidacies stand on their own merits; my candidacy stands on its own, with commitments I make to workers and the values of April 25th, of the Constitution,” stated António Filipe after a meeting in Vila Real with the administration of the Trás-os-Montes and Alto Douro Local Health Unit (ULSTMAD).
António Filipe further mentioned that, from his perspective, “it makes no sense” to consider “withdrawing in favor of any other candidate” because his candidacy is “irreplaceable.”
The former PCP deputy was responding to journalists’ questions regarding whether he is considering withdrawing his candidacy after presidential candidate Jorge Pinto admitted today, in an interview, that he might withdraw from the race for Belém in favor of António José Seguro, challenging him to clarify his ideological positioning but demanding reciprocity if his candidacy grows.
“I’m not considering any withdrawal, otherwise I wouldn’t have presented myself. When I announced my candidacy, I received many testimonies from people who said ‘well, I finally have a candidate to vote for, until now I didn’t.’ I wouldn’t disappoint these people by saying ‘Look, you had a candidate, but now you don’t,'” António Filipe emphasized.
Asked about statements by the President of the Assembly of the Republic, José Pedro Aguiar-Branco, who considered there are “too many candidates,” António Filipe stated that “it is legitimate for people to run” and that “the voters are the ones who vote.”
“Obviously, in the first round, citizens will choose the candidate they think is best, and those who receive the most votes will proceed to the second round. I am fighting with the ambition to pass to the second round,” he stressed.
The candidate supported by the PCP said that in this race for the January 18 elections, he addresses all citizens but identifies “obviously” as left-wing, emphasizing that he is a candidate who “does not hide” his political background and convictions.
António Filipe also believes he is in a position to be an “inclusive candidate,” recalling his “long political life,” in which he demonstrated the ability, even in positions within the Assembly of the Republic, to exercise “impartiality and independence.”
“I was Vice President of the Assembly of the Republic for 12 years and managed the proceedings for many hours without any objections from any political force. Therefore, my impartiality in that role was never questioned. I believe this is also important for someone who exercises the functions of President of the Republic,” he noted.
