At 46 years old and after serving 16 years in the executive, Andrea Silva has succeeded fellow social democrat Aires Pereira, who after 12 years in power could no longer run due to term limits.
In a scenario without an absolute majority and with a new executive composition, the elected president acknowledged that the upcoming term would require “balance and consensus.”
“I feel an added responsibility. I am fully aware of the importance of not disappointing those who trusted me. I believe that if everyone’s interest is the collective interest and that of the council, it will be easy to find balance, understanding, and dialogue,” she told Lusa.
Andrea Silva, holding a degree in International Relations, Culture, and Politics, who has held roles in Social Cohesion, Human Resources, Administrative Modernization, and the Citizen’s Office since 2009, has housing as one of her priorities.
“The conclusion of the Local Housing Strategy is my main concern. It is an issue that requires an urgent response, especially for the families of the council. I want to lead a term of continuity, but with renewal, highly focused on proximity to people and social balance,” she said.
With 40.55% of the votes (14,434 voters), Andrea Silva secured four mandates (out of a total of nine) in the city council for the PSD, the fewest elected from the party in nearly 30 years at the municipality.
In the term now ending, the Póvoa de Varzim City Council has seven PSD members and two from PS.
The Aliança Poveira (PS-PAN-Livre coalition), led by João Trocado, came in second place, with 29.89% (10,641 votes), securing three mandates, something not seen since 2013.
Chega, with José Vasconcelos as the head of the list, was the third most voted political force, with 16.36% (5,823 votes), gaining representation in the Póvoa de Varzim executive for the first time in history with two mandates.
Candidate of the Aliança Poveira, João Trocado da Costa, expressed pride in the results obtained on the election night Sunday and considered the results to demonstrate “a clear desire for change by the majority of citizens.”
“We were the most voted force in the city of Póvoa and in Aver-o-Mar. We won in the urban area of the council, but not in the rest of the territory. The majority of citizens chose change among the projects presented, and those who won now need to interpret the results in light of this new reality,” the socialist told Lusa.
Trocado da Costa, returning to the council, assured his commitment is “to be on the side of solutions” and “never a force of obstruction.”
“Our candidacy was marked by common sense, and this is how we face this new term. We will always be available to support projects aimed at the council’s development, and we expect the same spirit of responsibility from everyone. Democracy is made of plurality, and this diversity can be an asset for Póvoa,” he said.
Meanwhile, Chega, with two elected in the executive, celebrated the result as a “victory of close-work,” with José Vasconcelos ensuring a “firm and constructive” approach in the City Hall.
“We achieved all our goals. We tripled the votes, elected two councilors, and had the best district result of the party in Porto. It is the recognition of our work and the trust of the citizens,” he told Lusa.
The new councilor emphasized that Chega is open to dialogue, but assured the party “will not stop defending its ideas.”
“We want to put our proposals into practice and invest more in Póvoa and its citizens, with fewer superficial projects and more attention to real problems. We will fight for more transparency, seriousness, and civic participation in municipal management,” he stated.
