The first candidate to announce his candidacy is João Paulo Correia, the former Secretary of State for Youth and Sport, who declared his intention on December 12. Correia heads the PS list, the party currently ruling Gaia with an absolute majority, although its local leader, Eduardo Vítor Rodrigues, was recently stripped of his office.
João Paulo Correia, a graduate in Organization and Business Management from Universidade Lusófona do Porto and leader of the Mafamude and Vilar do Paraíso parish union from 2013 to 2022, has vowed to create 1,100 housing units by 2029, focusing on affordable rentals. He also aims to replace Unir, the public transport operator established under Eduardo Vítor Rodrigues’s leadership of the Porto Metropolitan Area.
The next to announce in Gaia was researcher and artist André Araújo, presented on January 8 by the CDU coalition (PCP/PEV). Araújo emphasized transport, mobility, housing, environment, and urban planning as key priorities for a municipality with much potential but plagued by persistent injustices and inequalities.
Araújo, a member of the Vila Nova de Gaia PCP and elected to the Municipal Assembly of this district in Porto, as well as the Mafamude and Vilar do Paraíso Parish Assembly in the current term (2021-2025), has been notably active in the Municipal Assembly, particularly in criticizing the Unir transport network.
On June 30, Daniel Gaio was introduced by Volt. Gaio, who holds a degree in Languages and International Relations from the Faculty of Arts of the University of Porto, manages partnerships in one of the world’s most luxurious hospitality service companies.
Gaio aims to leverage the municipality’s potential, moving beyond being a ‘bedroom community’ for Porto and nearby cities, and proposes incentives for affordable rental companies by rehabilitating municipal buildings.
Luis Filipe Menezes, a well-known figure supported by PSD, CDS-PP, and IL, announced his candidacy earlier this month. Menezes, who served as mayor of Vila Nova de Gaia from 1997 to 2013 and was a former PSD president, also ran for Porto in 2013.
Presenting his bid on July 7, Menezes revealed plans to build 4,000 affordable housing units, with 40% located in the center and south of the municipality. Additionally, he proposed restoring free car access to the lower deck of the Luís I Bridge and advocated for a viable alternative to the Unir bus network.
There is another exclusive coalition in Gaia, whose candidate will be disclosed later today. Bloco de Esquerda and Livre announced on social media their joint appearance under the name Bloco+Livre+Gaia.
The newly created page by Bloco de Esquerda and Livre describes their candidacy as “an ambitious project” that promotes “more participation,” uniting not only these parties but also independents, aiming to gather and open the Left to include everyone.
“This is more than a mere party coalition; it is about building bridges between political commitments and civil society,” they stated.
With a population of 311,223 (2023) and covering 168.46 square kilometers, Vila Nova de Gaia is the country’s third most populous municipality after Lisbon and Sintra, and it is the most populous in the North region.
Currently, the city’s administration is led by Marina Mendes, who took over the presidency on June 30 after Eduardo Vítor Rodrigues resigned. Mendes had served as vice president since May 2023, following the judicial proceedings involving former vice president Patrocínio Azevedo in the ‘Babel’ case.
The municipal executive comprises 11 members, with PS holding nine seats and PSD holding two. The PS also leads the Municipal Assembly with a majority.
Local elections are scheduled for October 12.
