In statements to journalists before a meeting with the Portuguese Victim Support Association (APAV) in Lisbon, António Filipe expressed seeing “naturally” the willingness of Catarina Martins to run for presidential elections. He emphasized that any Portuguese citizen over the age of 35 can present themselves as a candidate.
Filipe emphasized that Martins’ candidacy does not hinder his own. “She has her own space, a platform for asserting democracy, defending workers, and advocating for a fairer and more solidary country,” he stated.
António Filipe highlighted that his candidacy is “affirmative,” not opposing anyone, but it challenges “the deplorable state the country has reached in various domains” while aiming to fight “for the fulfillment and defense of the Constitution, regardless of other candidacies that may emerge.”
Asked if he fears that Catarina Martins’ potential candidacy could split the left-wing votes, Filipe, supported by the PCP, replied he is not afraid and addresses all citizens.
“I believe each citizen is the sole owner of their vote. Therefore, I think we are not in an election where people can assume at the outset that votes belong to a segmented political space, if they want it partisan. This candidacy is not about that,” he remarked.
Filipe insisted that his candidacy concerns “the interpretation each candidate has on how the President of the Republic should exercise power within the framework of the Constitution.”
“I believe this is mainly what is at stake. And each citizen, regardless of their prior choice, whether in presidential, legislative, municipal elections… This is a different election, and each citizen should consider their vote based on criteria different from previous ones,” he defended.
During the interaction with journalists, António Filipe was also questioned about Marcelo Rebelo de Sousa’s comments last week at the PSD Summer University, where he described US President Donald Trump as a “Soviet agent.”
The PCP-backed candidate thought there was a “lapsus linguae” in Rebelo de Sousa’s remark, which he acknowledged caused “some perplexity,” although he did not see it as highly significant.
Filipe admitted he found the comments unusual, “especially when talking about a country that has not existed for over 30 years,” referring to the Soviet Union, but minimized any potential diplomatic repercussions.
“He was referring to a president of a country who isn’t very coherent in his statements. Therefore, if he lacks coherence, he can’t demand much coherence from others,” he remarked.
Former BE coordinator and MEP Catarina Martins on Saturday admitted considering a presidential candidacy, positioning herself as an alternative for those who feel they have no one to vote for.
“I’ve spoken with many people telling me that they don’t have anyone to vote for and feel they cannot stay out of the presidential elections. The ability to create new dialogues, new responses, new ways to address issues. I am willing to chart this path,” Martins told journalists during BE’s ‘rentrée’ in Coimbra.
