“Call me Mariana. There’s no need for ‘Ms.’ or ‘Dr.’,” stated Mariana Leitão, 43, during a meeting with students at the University of Évora, as part of a campaign event for the municipal elections on October 12.
The students were gathered by the student association, but the key draw was Rodrigo Mendonça, the candidate from IL for the Évora Municipal Assembly, who joined fellow International Relations graduate Mariana Leitão in the gathering.
“She’s playing at home,” remarked David Fernandes from Serpa, who had just been discussing the cost of higher education in Portugal.
Among the group were some architecture students, such as Ana Beatriz Calado, president of the academic association, who also advocated for opportunities for University of Évora students to settle in the Alentejo city.
“The city of Évora is like a museum; without students, there would be no life,” she said, noting that the university attracts “many students from outside,” but “the retention of young people is nearly nonexistent.”
“We need to put the interior and the Alentejo on the political agenda,” declared Ana Beatriz Calado.
Henrique Rocha, an association leader and International Relations student, echoed the concerns: “I would love to stay in Évora, but I won’t stay.”
The shortage of student accommodation is another issue, he warned, emphasizing that the university only has 525 beds for 10,000 students, a figure lower than that of other higher education institutions in the Alentejo, such as Portalegre or Beja.
In response to the complaints, Mariana Leitão emphasized that it is “the obligation of politicians to listen to the people” and “offer solutions,” highlighting IL’s proposals on housing, mobility, and attracting investment for the country and municipalities.
If there’s a university here, “there should be an ecosystem” that allows young people to settle, she added, responding to another student, once again asking to be addressed informally.
“I’m not that old, please,” she said, holding a water bottle while sitting in the shade at a long table in the academic association’s bar.
“We need to create conditions so that those who want to stay can do so” and “it is up to the State and municipalities to develop policies” that provide this freedom to young people, stated the liberal leader, lamenting the depopulation of the country.
Meanwhile, Fábio Cabaço, the IL’s mayoral candidate for the council, which is currently communist and which the PS seeks to reclaim, stressed that one of the liberal priorities for the district is attracting investment and creating conditions to fix jobs.
“The fact that Évora is a city in the interior cannot be an excuse for inaction,” he emphasized.
As she left, called for a group photo after speaking to journalists on national issues, Mariana Leitão reiterated to the students her readiness to return. “But on one condition: you call me informally and I’ll come whenever you want.”
