The electoral district of Vila Real will elect five members to the Assembly of the Republic in the May 18 elections. Currently, 206,902 voters are registered, a slight decrease from the 208,700 registered in 2024.
In 2024, the Democratic Alliance (comprising PSD, CDS, and PPM) secured victory in the district, electing two deputies, followed by the PS, which also elected two deputies. Chega succeeded in electing a deputy for the first time.
A year later, the current AD alliance, consisting of PSD/CDS, has selected Health Minister Ana Paula Martins, 59, from Oeiras (Lisboa), to lead the list for the transmontano district, where the PS has only won during the absolute majorities of José Sócrates and António Costa.
Occupying the second position is Amílcar Almeida, a deputy and former mayor of Valpaços, who led the AD list in 2024.
For PS, Vila Real Mayor Rui Santos, in his third term and who requested suspension on Monday, is their choice. He is followed by Deputy Fátima Correia, who led the socialist list for the district last year.
Chega is once again placing its bets on Manuela Tender, who achieved her first election to the Assembly of the Republic for this party in the last legislative elections.
However, the 54-year-old teacher had previously served as a deputy in the AR, elected by the PSD from 2011 to 2019, resigning from the party at the start of 2020 due to disagreements with the social-democratic district.
For the May elections, the Left Bloc (BE) has chosen university professor Anabela Branco Oliveira, 61, residing in Vila Real, while the Liberal Initiative (IL) has selected 45-year-old doctor Joana Ferreira, living in Porto.
The CDU is represented once again by José Luís Ferreira, a 62-year-old jurist and former deputy originating from Vila Pouca de Aguiar and residing in Barreiro. The Livre candidate is Daniel Ramalho, a 30-year-old higher education teacher from Vila Real.
Leading the Democratic National Alternative (ADN) is retired engineer João Vilela Cabeço, 74, residing in Alijó. António Oliveira, a 52-year-old entrepreneur from Penafiel, is running for Reagir Incluir Reciclar (RIR), and Irene Costa, a 65-year-old entrepreneur from Argoncilhe (Santa Maria da Feira), represents Ergue-te.
Açorean teacher Edgardo Madeira heads the list for the Popular Monarchist Party (PPM), while Rui Almeida, a 53-year-old client manager from Peso da Régua, represents the Pessoas–Animais–Natureza (PAN). Sílvia Mourinha, a 47-year-old specialized operator residing in Sintra, is advancing for Volt.
In 2024, 13 parties competed in this electoral district.
AD won the last elections with 46,040 votes (39.33%), PS received 34,654 votes (29.60%), and Chega came in third with 20,032 votes (17.11%).
Among other parliamentary parties, BE obtained 2,865 votes (2.45%), IL got 2,378 votes (2.03%), CDU received 1,599 votes (1.37%), Livre had 1,592 votes (1.36%), and PAN 1,062 votes (0.91%).
ADN remarkably secured fourth place with 2,958 votes (2.53%).
The transmontano district has lost nearly 21,000 residents over a decade, with the 2021 Census recording 185,695 inhabitants, marking a demographic decline affecting its 14 municipalities.
