“I believe that street experience and direct contact are very positive. In fact, I have told some institutions that I will establish one day a week, during my presidency, where I will not be at City Hall. I will always be on the streets, which is essential to maintain this direct contact,” revealed the lead candidate of the coalition ‘O Porto Somos Nós’ during a campaign event.
Today, the coalition campaign, which includes the PSD, CDS-PP, and IL, commenced with a walk along Rua Damião de Góis in the historic center, together with the candidate for that Union of Parishes, João Pedro Videira.
The choice of lunchtime meant people were not available to engage in lengthy conversations, but in the cafes and restaurants visited by the lead candidate, well-wishes were being shared.
“The city of Porto has this peculiarity: fewer people on the street than in previous times. I notice a significant difference compared to past campaigns. It is difficult to find people in the street, and often we encounter people on pendulum movements, who do not live in the city but are here because they are seeing a doctor, attending a consultation, or working,” the candidate shared with journalists.
Pedro Duarte expressed a preference for being on the street and stated that since May, he has been able to “cover the entire city,” but lamented the lack of time to visit institutions, explaining this by the “many debates” still ahead.
“You are doing a great job,” praised a real estate seller in the historic center.
At a small kiosk at the intersection with Rua do Monte Pedral, the former Minister of Parliamentary Affairs inquired about business and took the opportunity to leave a flyer with his proposals among magazines for sale.
However, as soon as the team accompanying him moved away from the stand, it was crumpled up and discarded.
Further along, two women showed some resistance in accepting flyers with Pedro Duarte’s name and his candidate’s for the junta, until one of them, Julieta, relented and took the paper: “I will vote for you,” she assured.
Asked by journalists following the campaign event, the octogenarian could not name the candidate or the party he represents. But once contextualized, she added that she voted AD (in the legislative elections) and left a request: “Tell him that if he belongs to Montenegro, he also belongs to me.”
The current executive of the Porto City Council comprises a majority of six members from the Rui Moreira movement and an independent councilor, with the remaining two elected from PS, two from PSD, one from CDU, and one from BE.
Competing for the leadership of the municipality are Manuel Pizarro (PS), Diana Ferreira (CDU – PCP/PEV coalition), Nuno Cardoso (Porto Primeiro – NC/PPM coalition), Pedro Duarte (PSD/CDS-PP/IL coalition), Sérgio Aires (BE), the current vice-president Filipe Araújo (Fazer à Porto – independent), Guilherme Alexandre Jorge (Volt), Hélder Sousa (Livre), Miguel Corte-Real (Chega), Frederico Duarte Carvalho (ADN), Maria Amélia Costa (PTP), and Luís Tinoco Azevedo (PLS).
The local elections are scheduled for October 12.
