The demolition of illegal structures in a neighborhood in Loures, led by the Socialist Party’s Ricardo Leão, has sparked controversy recently and ignited a debate within the Socialist Party (PS) itself.
In an open letter, former government officials and PS deputies expressed “profound indignation and concern” about “the demolition of the homes of dozens of families”.
The letter, titled “on the demolition of principles and shanties,” was released on Tuesday by “members and supporters of the PS” and had gathered over a hundred signatures. Its originators include former Education Minister João Costa, former government officials from António Costa’s administrations and current deputies António Mendonça Mendes and Frederico Francisco, as well as deputy Isabel Moreira, among others.
These socialists argue that demolishing shanties “without providing alternative, suitable, and immediate housing solutions” contradicts “constitutional and statutory principles” and “tarnishes the credibility and ethical commitment that the PS should uphold before citizens.”
“We call for coherence: Socialist policy begins with the people, never against them. We call for the mobilization of PS structures to reflect on these practices and consistently defend the values that define us. We want a PS to be truly an instrument of social transformation, justice, and solidarity—not just in words, but above all in deeds,” they challenge.
The signatories assert that the “right to housing is enshrined as a fundamental right of all citizens, as is the duty of the State to promote the conditions for the realization of this right,” besides being “the obligation of the State and local authorities to ensure social protection and support for those in greater vulnerability.”
They further state that the PS’s statement of principles guides “the defense of social justice, inclusion, and solidarity”, which they consider “fundamental values” that should guide socialist political action.
Loures Mayor Lacked “Empathy and Socialism”
Also on this day, the PS parliamentary leader, Eurico Brilhante Dias, acknowledged that the mayor of Loures did not convey “empathy and socialism,” yet maintained that the incident does not undermine socialist pillars.
Brilhante Dias noted, however, that he knows Ricardo Leão and “all his efforts to make the territory he administers the best possible for the people living in Loures.” “I recognize in him the empathy and socialism. That perception doesn’t always come across, and this time, apparently, it wasn’t the perception given,” he noted.
Regarding the open letter, the PS parliamentary leader regarded it as “a specific episode,” stating “the pillars of the Socialist Party, fortunately, are so deep they have over 50 years of history.”
PS Leader Says Loures Took “All Precautions” in Demolitions
The Socialist Party Secretary-General, José Luís Carneiro, said he was informed by the Loures City Hall that “all precautions” were taken with those affected by the demolition of illegal structures.
“They assure me from the Loures Municipal Government that all the necessary dialogue was held with the respective citizens confronted with this decision. They assure me of that, and therefore, I want to believe it was so,” Carneiro told journalists in Beja.
Carneiro acknowledged the need to understand “the challenges” faced by several local authorities in the Lisbon Metropolitan Area, which are “once again facing the reemergence of illegal shanty constructions,” that “jeopardize safety and health conditions, but particularly the safety and dignity of the people.”
“However, there is also the duty to follow through with all measures to ensure evictions are carried out with dignity preservation, human rights protection, and particularly the protection of people living in specially vulnerable circumstances,” he added.
In light of this situation, José Luís Carneiro argued that the Government must not “leave the local authorities alone with such a complex problem to solve.”
It should be recalled that the Loures council, headed by socialist Ricardo Leão, launched an operation on Monday to demolish 64 precarious residences, housing 161 people, in Talude Militar.
The Lisbon Administrative Court has provisionally accepted an interim injunction filed by a lawyer representing 14 residents of the neighborhood—by which time, at least 54 homes had already been demolished.
The court recognizes “a situation of special urgency,” ordering its decision to be notified “immediately and in the most expeditious manner,” and also notes that “the precautionary process is an urgent process,” giving the municipality a 10-day deadline to contest the decision, “without prejudice to the order.”
Leão Faces Series of Controversies
It should be noted that back in November of last year, Ricardo Leão was embroiled in another controversy that also led to various voices rising, including that of former Prime Minister António Costa. At that time, Ricardo Leão advocated publicly for the eviction of tenants in municipal housing who had participated in the unrest following the death of Cape Verdean Odair Moniz, shot by a PSP officer. He subsequently resigned as president of the Lisbon Urban Area Federation (FAUL) of the PS.
About a month later, the demolition of 15 self-built houses and the eviction of nine apartments in a clandestine neighborhood in Santa Iria da Azoia parish in the same Lisbon district, where nearly a hundred people, mostly immigrants, lived, also became a talking point.
More recently, for instance, the Loures mayor made statements that generated controversy again. Ricardo Leão indicated there was an intention to evict about 400 municipal tenants in the district’s neighborhoods who were in default and had not responded to attempts at regularizing debts.
The Loures executive is composed of four PS members, including the president, four from the CDU, two from the PSD, and one from Chega.
The PS and PSD reached an agreement to ensure the governmental stability of the Loures City Hall, won by Ricardo Leão in September 2021 without an absolute majority.
