“Today, I announce my candidacy for the presidency of the Porto City Council. I do so with a sense of mission, enthusiasm, and the unprecedented happiness of sharing an old dream: the dream of dedicating myself to building a Porto that is even more humane, dynamic, and prosperous, where everyone can live peacefully and with dignity,” he stated.
The current Minister of Parliamentary Affairs highlighted urgent challenges such as security, mobility, and housing.
“Security, with unacceptable crime; mobility, with intolerable traffic; and housing, with unaffordable prices, are urgent challenges that demand new and effective responses,” he said.
Pedro Duarte also argued that the same efficiency should be applied to tourism, which has brought social dynamism and economic vitality to Porto.
“We face more changes, faster and more radical. In an increasingly unpredictable world, my candidacy is an invitation to build a secure future. It is with this conviction, as a true Porto native, that I present myself,” he emphasized.
The candidate for Porto City Council noted that the candidacy is not about himself, but about all the people of Porto.
“Together, we can build a more inclusive, better prepared, more competitive city,” he underlined.
The minister also expressed his desire for Porto to be “a cultural reference, which is the avenue to tolerance and happiness, but also a leader in sports, encouraging lifelong vitality, in health leading in services and research centers, in work, creating better jobs, and in innovation, enhancing the capacity to attract and retain talent, cutting-edge technology, and economic investment.”
In the article, Pedro Duarte recalled a “dizzying transformation of the city” over the last decade, highlighting that continuous adaptation to this change requires imagination, audacity, and, above all, humanity.
Frequently mentioned as the PSD candidate for Porto City Council, Pedro Duarte stated on March 21 that he would not run for any other political office except for the presidency of Porto City Council, indicating at that time that the decision was imminent.
The local elections are expected to take place between September 22 and October 14, 2025.
