Nine candidates are contesting the upcoming Aveiro City Hall presidential election on October 12th: Luís Souto (PSD/CDS-PP/PPM), Alberto Souto (PS), João Moniz (BE), Miguel Gomes (IL), Cristina Tavares (CDU), Diogo Machado (Chega), Bruno Fonseca (Livre), Paulo Alves (Nós, Cidadãos!), and Ana Rita Moreira (PAN).
Alberto Souto, a former city hall president and ex-Secretary of State for Communications, was the first to declare his candidacy in January, shortly after publishing a book with 101 proposals for Aveiro, which include more green spaces, increased public housing, improved transport, and more nurseries and care homes.
The socialist candidate has been a vocal critic of Ribau Esteves’ management (PSD/CDS/PPM), who has led the municipality for 12 years. Souto has promised to reverse several decisions of the current executive, including the awarding of a contract for the construction of a pavilion-workshop worth 22 million euros, and the construction of a 12-story hotel planned for the city.
Alberto Souto faces stiff competition from his brother, Luís Souto Miranda, the current president of the Municipal Assembly, elected by the PSD. Luís was chosen by party leader Luís Montenegro to head the ‘Alliance With Aveiro’ list, composed of PSD, CDS, and PPM. This decision was poorly received locally and led to the resignation of the local PSD chairman.
As a professor at the University of Aveiro, Luís aims to maintain continuity with innovation, prioritizing housing. He proposes creating a dedicated body to manage housing issues and developing a portfolio of ready-to-build plots with pre-approved licenses while offering tax relief by returning 0.25% of IRS to residents.
Businessman Miguel Gomes is running again for the presidency with the Liberals (IL), after leading the party’s list in 2021. He advocates for lower taxes, streamlined bureaucracy, and municipal health insurance for residents of the council.
Paulo Alves, a manager, is also reentering the race, representing Nós, Cidadãos! He aims to join the municipal executive to “oversee all political activities,” with a political agenda centered on maritime themes.
The BE has selected João Moniz, a municipal assembly deputy and researcher at the Institute of Social Sciences, University of Lisbon. He promises to combat rising housing prices by increasing public supply at controlled costs to prevent residents from being pushed out of the urban center and supports the creation of a municipal tourist tax.
Cristina Tavares has accepted the challenge to run for the CDU after leading the PCP/PEV coalition list in the Aveiro electoral circle during the May legislative elections. The textile worker’s primary focus includes ending toll fees on highways A17, A19, and A25, along with advocating for more social housing and a licensing regime to limit hotel development in high-demand residential areas.
Chega candidate Diogo Machado, a former municipal deputy for CDS-PP, offers “a serious, transparent, and rigorous alternative to the usual candidates,” targeting the PSD/CDS/PPM and PS coalitions. A key project of his campaign is the construction of a new hospital from scratch, in partnership with the University of Aveiro and private entities, planned for the Aveiro Sports Park area, with completion expected by the end of the term.
The PAN, which previously ran alongside PS in the last local elections, will now present its own list led by sociologist Ana Rita Moreira. Her priorities include securing affordable housing solutions, improving mobility, enhancing animal protection, and valuing green spaces as essential for quality of life.
Finally, the Livre party is making its debut in the Aveiro City Hall race with a list led by international relations researcher Bruno Santos Fonseca. His priorities are ensuring dignified and affordable housing for all, promoting sustainable, fair, and efficient urban mobility, enhancing citizen participation with active listening and engagement, and making Aveiro a model of cohesion, inclusion, and social justice.
Ribau Esteves, a social democrat, currently leads Aveiro City Hall, completing his third term and, as such, cannot run again.
In the 2021 elections, the PSD/CDS/PPM coalition secured six mandates, while the PS/PAN elected three. The center-right coalition also holds a majority in the Municipal Assembly, with 25 deputies, including 10 parish presidents who are ex-officio members, as well as eight from PS/PAN, two from the Left Bloc, one from Chega, and one from CDU.
The municipal elections are scheduled for October 12th.
