With less than two months remaining until the municipal elections on October 12, the agency inquired about how recently established parliamentary parties with limited municipal presence are recruiting candidates to enhance their territorial reach and potentially secure municipalities.
Chega’s Secretary-General, Pedro Pinto, explained that the party’s recruitment process begins with local and district branches selecting and presenting candidates, after which the top of the list undergo interviews conducted by the party’s national structure.
Pedro Pinto emphasized a fundamental criterion during recruitment is ensuring candidates align with “the party’s DNA.” While affiliation with Chega is not mandatory, candidates must present their criminal record and certificates attesting no debts with the Tax Office and Social Security.
Chega intends to field thousands of candidates in the municipal elections, aiming to compete in all 308 municipalities, the majority of municipal assemblies, and over a thousand parish councils. Pedro Pinto remains assured about the process, noting the party already “knows the vast majority” of their candidates.
This confidence partly stems from the fact that many candidates will be party deputies: out of the current 60 parliamentarians, 59 will be candidates (44 for mayoral positions and 15 for municipal assemblies). The only deputy not running is Chega’s leader, André Ventura.
Additionally, compared to 2021, Chega has enhanced its recruitment capability, with many joining the project, including former members of other political parties, providing assurances about candidate quality, according to Pedro Pinto.
Meanwhile, IL is set to double its previous candidacies from four years ago, fielding candidates in around 100 municipalities, a quarter in coalitions.
In response to how candidates are selected, IL indicated that “selection is done through interviews by local/national structures, and criminal records are requested from top candidates.”
The Livre party, currently holding just two councilor positions, plans to run in about 50 municipalities, half with its own lists and the other half in coalition. Unlike IL and Chega, Livre employs a different recruitment method: primaries.
Conducted in two rounds, the primaries are open to all citizens, with no requirement for Livre membership. Candidates must complete a form addressing potential conflicts of interest or past party affiliations and must commit to respecting the party’s Code of Ethics and Declaration of Principles.
Juntos Pelo Povo (JPP), running in municipal elections as a parliamentary political force for the first time after securing a deputy position in the National Assembly in May, reports receiving inquiries from potential candidates. In such cases, they hold multiple meetings “to determine if the candidate or their team understands and identifies with JPP’s values.”
“Following these meetings, candidates are proposed to the National Political Committee, which decides whether to proceed with the proposed candidates,” they noted, adding that the party also extends invitations if they identify suitably profiled individuals.
