The news emerged today, confirmed through documents accessed by the agency. It involves a court order and statements from Daniel Adrião’s defense.
The order states that Daniel Adrião, “contrary to the guidelines set by the competent bodies” of the PS (Socialist Party), ran for the Parish Assembly of São Vicente on a list titled “Em Frente São Vicente.”
As per the document, Adrião’s decision to “join a list opposing the one presented by the PS or against the guidelines set by the party’s competent bodies, even if the PS was not represented,” is considered “a disciplinary offense classified as a serious misdemeanor.”
Thus, citing the statutes, the Jurisdiction Council indicates that the socialist’s penalty should be expulsion from the party.
Daniel Adrião had a statutory period of 10 days to challenge this decision, but the order states that since it is “supported by documentary evidence,” being the official list of local election candidates, “any defense not based on the document’s falsity” is seen as “useless and delaying.”
In his defense submitted to the PS National Jurisdiction Commission, the PS leader argued that he did not commit “any infraction as per the PS statutes” and requested that the proceedings be dismissed.
Adrião noted that during a National Political Commission session last October, he formally announced his intention to run for the presidency of the São Vicente Parish Council, an announcement he claims was “applauded by several members” of that body.
“The then party Secretary-General, Pedro Nuno Santos, showed his support through gestures,” he added.
Despite this expression of intent, the socialist asserted that he was never contacted “by any leaders of the PS local or district structures in Lisbon.”
“The process that led to the selection of the candidate for the São Vicente Parish Council [of PS] did not respect democratic principles nor ensured equal participation, rendering any resulting party directive legally null,” he argued.
According to Adrião, “the internal discipline of a party cannot and does not override the fundamental rights of citizens.”
“The attempt to sanction my participation in a group of citizen voters represents an affront to fundamental rights and the very essence of party democracy,” he condemned.
