“With total frankness, that seems not an issue,” stated Manuel Pizarro today, admitting that if asked for his opinion, “I would have recommended not doing it.”
The matter concerns a report from which reveals candidates on the PS lists are among the proponents of Filipe Araújo’s independent candidacy, notably Julieta Sampaio, Paula Roseira, Andreia Dias, and Hugo Girão.
On the sidelines of a visit to the Firefighters Regiment in the Integrated Management Center in Porto, Manuel Pizarro said he would not confront those who decided to subscribe to Filipe Araújo’s independent candidacy, believing they acted “motivated by the idea of freedom and tolerance central to the city of Porto and to provide a more plural electoral contest.”
“Associating this with anything between PS and an independent candidacy seems quite ridiculous. If nothing else, by the comparison of the numbers: four candidates, four signatures,” he said.
Questioned today during the debate by Rádio Observador among some candidates for Porto, Filipe Araújo did not respond whether he knew of PS candidates among his proponents and stated he only knew “15,000 signatories from Porto decided the independent movement should run for election,” to whom he expressed gratitude.
Regarding accusations of being a “crutch” for the Socialist Party, Filipe Araújo said “the only crutch” he knows is the one he kept from his final university year.
“We are free and independent,” assured Filipe Araújo, accusing the PSD candidacy of “repeatedly” inviting him to be the number two.
Contacted for comment, the independent candidacy declined to add anything further.
Today, the Porto local sections of PSD and CDS-PP called for intervention from judicial bodies and the National Election Commission amid a situation they deem illegal.
“Municipal Electoral Law and the CNE are clear: ‘a citizen cannot be a proponent of one list and simultaneously a candidate on another list for the same body,'” indicated the PSD.
Social Democrats claim an affront to the citizens of Porto and disrespect for the city, seeing it as a clear attempt to deceive residents and compromise the city’s deserved transparency.
Social Democrats believe there is a collusion between Pizarro and Filipe Araújo, accusing the PS candidate of “trying to deceive the residents of Porto with [an] illegal promotion of [a] pseudo-independent candidacy.”
Running for Porto City Hall 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), 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 current executive comprises a majority of six elected from Rui Moreira’s movement and an independent councilor, alongside two elected from PS, two from PSD, one from CDU, and one from BE.
Local elections will be held on October 12.
