“Among a candidate who is clearly in this election to secure their electorate and another who only holds half of the PSD, because I will capture the other half, it was a debate that I think was of little interest to the Portuguese, except from a scenic point of view. Even regarding justice reform, there was no concrete idea on the table,” stated João Cotrim Figueiredo after a meeting with the Academic Association of the University of Lisbon.
The presidential candidate supported by IL noted that the President of the Republic “does not legislate, but must have ideas about what to do, and while a candidate, should be clear about these ideas.”
“Then, while being President, they should be reserved regarding this form of intervention, but as a candidate, they have the obligation to be very clear about their positions and, specifically, what they defend concerning justice,” he argued.
“When they don’t do it, it doesn’t surprise me that they only hold half of the PSD; I will go to get the other half,” he insisted.
João Cotrim Figueiredo, backed by IL, was commenting on Wednesday night’s debate between Luís Marques Mendes, supported by PSD, and André Ventura, president of Chega and backed by the party.
The fight against corruption dominated the discussion between the two presidential candidates, and Luís Marques Mendes announced that if elected, he plans to dedicate his first Council of State to the theme of judicial reform and combatting corruption.
“It’s my goal; I think it’s the goal of any candidate to end corruption and have a better-functioning justice system. That’s a Miss World speech,” commented João Cotrim Figueiredo today.
The former leader of IL expressed skepticism about whether a Council of State is the best way to achieve this.
“I have never been in the Council of State; the two debaters last night were, so the system was there in full force, and indeed they only talked about corruption, the future was not at that table,” he criticized.
On the occasion, the candidate for Belém was also questioned about today’s news from JN that Judge Carlos Alexandre, who led controversial cases such as Operation Marquês or the BES case, would chair the Commission to Combat Fraud in the National Health Service.
Cotrim stated that the judge “has a reputation that speaks for itself.”
“I am pleased there is a concrete initiative with people of recognized investigative ability and fraud detection that can, once and for all, ensure that the resources of the Portuguese, which are increasingly invested in the NHS, are not wasted,” he said.
The candidate supported by IL also suggested a “similar approach” for areas such as education or Social Security, noting that in these sectors, “cases of fraud, waste, and misuse of public funds are also detected.”
“This is something that in Portugal, obviously, must end because we already lack resources to make some of the transitions we need, and we cannot waste them, especially not on frauds,” he emphasized.
The presidential elections are scheduled for January 18, 2026.
Among others, António Filipe (supported by the PCP), António José Seguro (supported by the PS), André Ventura (supported by Chega), Catarina Martins (supported by the BE), Henrique Gouveia e Melo, João Cotrim Figueiredo (supported by the Liberal Initiative), Jorge Pinto (supported by Livre), and Luís Marques Mendes (supported by the PSD) have announced their candidacies.
