“A democratic society, when it ceases to respect authority, is finished,” stated Carlos Moedas during a debate organized by the Associação de Dinamização da Baixa Pombalina (ADBP) in reference to the municipal elections on October 12.
The current mayor recalled being previously accused of “scaring people” and emphasized that today, in the debate hosted by ADBP, shopkeepers and store owners agreed with him. He reiterated his promise to pressure the government for more municipal police and public security officers on Lisbon’s streets.
During the event, lasting over an hour in a small room with just over two dozen people, Carlos Moedas listened to complaints and questions from nearly all attendees.
He was questioned on his solutions for urban hygiene, drug addiction, and counterfeiting, and also addressed complaints regarding mobility in the city center streets.
Regarding drug addiction, the candidate blamed the new “drug law,” which, in his opinion, allows individuals to possess more doses without committing a crime.
“Small changes in public policies then have an effect on our daily lives,” he maintained.
In terms of urban hygiene, the social democrat, leading the Lisbon City Hall since 2021, assured that the municipality would collect all waste around the recycling points, despite shared responsibilities with the parish councils.
“Regarding the recycling points, I don’t want to see what I often see here in Restauradores, which is the recycling point surrounded by bags. So, from the second term onward, we will ensure that the city hall collects all those bags around it,” he emphasized.
On this matter, the candidate urged shopkeepers to notify municipal services when they identify large volumes of waste and reinforced that the municipality would resume collecting non-recyclable waste six days a week.
Carlos Moedas also asked for help from ADBP, pointing to some hotels and stores in Lisbon’s Baixa that contribute to the waste problem in the city.
The candidate for a second term in the city’s administration admitted the possibility of holding monthly meetings with shopkeepers to discuss these and other issues in the future.
He was also asked about traffic on Rua da Prata, where the debate took place. The candidate expressed his belief that future mobility would involve only trams, leaving the remaining street for pedestrians.
Candidates running for Lisbon City Hall in the upcoming municipal elections include Carlos Moedas (PSD/CDS-PP/IL), Alexandra Leitão (PS/Livre/BE/PAN), João Ferreira (CDU-PCP/PEV), Bruno Mascarenhas (Chega), Ossanda Líber (Nova Direita), José Almeida (Volt), Adelaide Ferreira (ADN), Tomaz Ponce Dentinho (PPM/PTP), and Luís Mendes (RIR).
Currently, the city council is composed of seven councilors from the “Novos Tempos” coalition – PSD/CDS-PP/MPT/PPM/Aliança, seven from the “Mais Lisboa” coalition – PS/Livre, two from CDU, and one from BE.
