According to the results of the Livre’s primary process released today, Rui Tavares emerges as the leading candidate on the list for Lisbon, with 4,991.52 points, followed by Isabel Mendes Lopes, the current parliamentary leader, with 4,245.39 points.
In the third position is Patrícia Gonçalves, a professor and the current coordinator of the Livre’s Assembly, the highest authority between congresses, with 3,557.81 points.
Following her are Tomás Cardoso Pereira, head of the Livre’s parliamentary office and municipal deputy in Oeiras, and Patrícia Robalo, who was number three for Lisbon in the last general elections and is currently a substitute municipal deputy in the capital.
Francisco Paupério, who initially ranked fourth in the primaries for Lisbon, falls to sixth place after the new voting round, which allowed second-round voting solely to members, with 2,996.87 points.
In Porto, Jorge Pinto remains the top candidate, while Filipa Pinto, who temporarily took over less than four months the position of Jorge Pinto in the Assembly of the Republic while he was on parental leave, secures the second spot.
Deputy Paulo Muacho is again the party’s choice to lead the electoral circle of Setúbal, succeeded by Geizy Fernandes, who held this position in the last general elections.
According to the primary regulations, there is now a subsequent period to allow appeals and complaints about the process.
At the end of January, Livre approved a new primary regulation following controversies surrounding the selection of Francisco Paupério as the top candidate for the European elections, which led to the formation of a working group to amend the rules used by Livre to select candidates.
Under the new rules, those registered to vote who are not members or supporters of Livre—the two forms of party affiliation—only participate in the first round in case of two-round primaries and in a singular round when there is no second round.
Another change stipulates that the total scores awarded to each candidate by external citizens cannot exceed 50% of the scores from all Livre members and supporters for that candidacy.
The revised regulation also stipulates that, besides members and supporters, any person over 16 who signs a “public manifesto of support” for the party can vote in Livre primaries.
