The PSD and CDS-PP of Paredes have officially announced that the National Election Commission (CNE) has ordered the Socialist Party candidate and current mayor to remove within 24 hours all posters distributed throughout the municipality using public funds in actions deemed illegal.
The parties accuse Alexandre Almeida of violating his duties of neutrality as president, including on social media, and the cases have been forwarded to the Public Ministry.
The CNE reportedly decided to notify the Paredes City Council, under the president’s auspices, to remove the billboards within 24 hours.
It was also instructed that the same action be taken regarding a Facebook post, according to the parties’ statement.
The CNE has further resolved to forward the current process to the Public Ministry, warning Alexandre Almeida to refrain from any prohibited institutional advertising as per Article 10, number 4 of Law 72-A/2015, along with the removal of any related materials until the ongoing electoral process concludes.
The Viver Melhor em Paredes campaign, a PSD/CDS-PP coalition, welcomes the CNE’s decisions and the opening of the proceedings and their referral to the Public Ministry but regrets the delay since their initial complaints.
“It would be crucial for democracy to have a system that allows for more swift and effective action in cases of blatant and continued violations of the laws and fundamental democratic rules,” they stated.
When contacted by Lusa, Alexandre Almeida’s campaign team stated that the posters were placed before the election was set and at the time of the launch of the works.
“We will remove them nonetheless,” they concluded.
