Gabriel Mithá Ribeiro, 59, a professor, announced his candidacy for the municipality in the district of Leiria today, citing a strong personal connection to the area, particularly to Guia, where his wife’s family originates.
His familiarity with Pombal and the district deepened during the 2022 legislative elections campaign when he ran for Leiria’s electoral circle.
“This candidacy follows that path. As a deputy for Leiria and with the party focusing on its current figures for the local elections, I had a strong preference to run for Pombal for these reasons,” stated the candidate.
Mithá Ribeiro plans to present a program that aligns Chega’s national objectives with local needs.
“On economic and business matters, much discussion revolves around the state’s influence. Reducing the state’s role must also begin at the municipal level,” he proposed, suggesting a shift towards empowerment of businesses, institutions, and individuals.
He emphasized the importance of “rationalizing the municipality’s operations, expanding society’s space while reducing the state’s local footprint,” with a focus on managing “human and financial resources, which are always limited.”
He noted the need for “cost-effective civic initiatives to transform the community’s relationship with key societal figures,” such as firefighters, police officers, teachers, and health professionals.
Healthcare remains a key concern for Mithá Ribeiro, particularly with the increasing elderly population and isolation issues, alongside immigration integration and security aspects.
The Chega candidate underlined the need for targeted social support while combating “social parasitism and dependency on subsidies, which municipalities often foster.”
As a deputy elected in 2022 and re-elected in 2024 for Leiria, he believes that it is “easier for Chega to grow in municipalities where PS (Socialist Party) has more influence” due to its decline after the last legislative elections.
“The PSD (Social Democratic Party) is relatively stable and has a strong tradition in the Central region,” he added, expressing belief in Chega’s potential growth, ideally electing “two to three councilors” in Pombal.
If elected as mayor, Mithá Ribeiro pledged to vacate his seat in the Assembly of the Republic, rejecting the notion of contradiction after being chosen by voters for parliament.
“Chega is in a phase of asserting itself and needs to strengthen its presence amongst the people, using somewhat familiar faces,” he acknowledged.
The candidate, residing in Almada, suggested that “perhaps at a different stage in the party’s life, the decision might have been more doubtful.”
“However, at this stage, with our strong desire to profoundly transform Portugal, it makes sense for a deputy to also run for local office; this isn’t contradictory,” Gabriel Mithá Ribeiro declared.
In the last local elections in 2021, the PSD maintained lead with Pedro Pimpão, who is re-running, securing five mandates, while PS obtained two.
Other candidates include Fernando Matos (PS) and Luís Couto (from the independent Pombal Independentes movement).
