The Socialist Party (PS) triumphed in the local elections on Sunday in the Vila Real municipality, securing four mandates. The Social Democratic Party (PSD) followed with two, and Chega attained one.
Alexandre Favaios was elected mayor for the PS, having taken charge in June following Rui Santos’s departure to the Assembly of the Republic.
“A party like the PSD always aims to win, and clearly, the results, in general, were not as favorable as we hoped, but we did achieve some improvements,” stated Alina Vaz to the Lusa news agency.
The PSD’s lead candidate in the district’s capital municipal elections expressed that these improvements are what the party intends to leverage to reach their “major goal of increased ambition for the PSD of Vila Real in the medium and long term.”
“We have four years with a well-formed team, highly capable of analyzing the crucial areas to boost Vila Real, and we will conduct an unprecedented opposition. This is my commitment to the people of Vila Real,” Alina Vaz added.
Official data from the Ministry of Internal Administration revealed that the PS received 17,711 votes (55.10%), the PSD 7,582 votes (23.59%), and Chega 4,078 votes (12.69%).
Out of 49,167 registered voters in the municipality, 32,145 (65.38%) cast their ballots.
Compared to 2021, when the PSD ran in coalition with the CDS-PP, they lost votes in Vila Real but managed to retain two council seats.
“Our analysis indicated that the votes we lost were from the CDS, and we are somewhat aware that it was not what minimized us. What’s more important was maintaining the two mandates,” highlighted Alina Vaz. She also noted the PSD’s victory in the Parada de Cunhos council, a tie with the PS in Vila Marim, support for an independent candidate in Guiães, and overall, more social-democratic mandates in parish assemblies.
In 2021, the PS, through their lists or supported ones, achieved victory in all 20 parish councils in the municipality.
On Sunday, Alexandre Favaios remarked on the “great victory” in “another historic night” for the PS, emphasizing that the party once again demonstrated itself as “a credible project.”
The socialists had taken control of the council 12 years ago after 37 years of social-democratic leadership.
Chega appointed Alberto Moura as councilor.
“We can’t say the result is bad; I would have liked it to be better, but we have time. We will work to improve this outcome over the next four years,” stated Alberto Moura to Lusa on the same day.
The first councilor elected by Chega in Vila Real spoke of a “decline for the PS,” which “directly lost a councilor” to the right-wing party.
Seven lists competed in these elections for the Vila Real Municipal Council and Assembly.
For the Municipal Assembly, presided over by former socialist mayor Rui Santos, the PS won 12 mandates, the PSD six, and Chega three.
