The PS, Bloco de Esquerda, Livre, and PAN are in discussions to form a left-wing coalition for the upcoming municipal elections in Lisbon. Together, they aim to challenge Carlos Moedas, the current mayor seeking re-election, supported by PSD, CDS, and Iniciativa Liberal.
This coalition will offer candidates for all municipal bodies in Lisbon, including the mayoral post, the Municipal Assembly, and the 24 parish assemblies.
Attempts are being made to confirm this news with the parties involved, but no response has been received yet.
The left-wing coalition will be headed by the Socialist Party’s candidate, Alexandra Leitão, and includes Carolina Serrão from Bloco de Esquerda and Carlos Teixeira, a Livre leader and substitute councilor in the capital.
The agreement among the four parties was reportedly decided during a meeting of the PS-Lisboa secretariat on Wednesday night, with the Socialist local political committee expected to meet today for a vote on the agreement.
The left-wing coalition is gearing up to oppose Carlos Moedas, who has served as mayor since 2021. Moedas was elected by the Novos Tempos coalition, comprising PSD/CDS-PP/MPT/PPM/Aliança and is seeking a second term in the elections slated for October 12. At the time of announcing his candidacy, Moedas discussed a potential coalition agreement among PSD, CDS-PP, and IL, which has since been confirmed.
Moedas emphasized his stance “above party politics” while governing with a focus on the people, stating that he does not represent a single party but rather “a new way of doing politics with moderation and assertiveness, against extremism.”
He formalized his candidacy on Wednesday, stating that he is not running against anyone but rather advocating a choice between moderation and radicalism. “It’s a simple choice with significant consequences: between the dreaming, achieving moderation and the radicalism that has severely weakened the PS and harmed the country, now seeking to bring this failed model to our Lisbon,” he declared.
The social-democrat thanked the three parties forming the coalition, highlighting the PSD as his longstanding party, CDS-PP as “the ever-loyal friend,” and IL for its “courage” to partner in this first-time candidacy for Lisbon’s City Hall with “renewed energy.”
Besides Carlos Moedas’ re-election bid and the potential left-wing coalition, other candidates for the mayoral position include João Ferreira (CDU), Ossanda Líber (Nova Direita), José Pinto Coelho (Ergue-te), and Bruno Mascarenhas (Chega).
Currently, the municipal executive comprises seven elected from the Novos Tempos coalition, three from the PS (initially elected five but lost two through resignations), three from Cidadãos Por Lisboa (elected under the PS/Livre coalition), two from the PCP, and one each from Livre and BE.
In the 2021 municipal assembly elections, the Novos Tempos list, led by Isabel Galriça Neto (CDS-PP), won the most seats, securing 17 mandates alongside PS/Livre, with Rosário Farmhouse (PS) elected as the assembly president.
