“I do not want to be a presidential candidate. But I cannot say, as no one with any responsibility for this country can say, ‘I am completely out and will not drink from this water,’ because it is impossible. If I say this, you will make a headline saying it is impossible. And if I say I do not rule out the possibility, you make a headline saying Rui Tavares does not rule out the possibility,” he declared at the sidelines of the 16th Congress of Livre.
At the São Bento da Vitória Monastery in Porto, Rui Tavares considered that the party “has been responsible and has waited,” adding that parties “do not have to have their own candidate” just to “mark attendance.”
When asked if this meant the party would not support the candidacy of the Bloco de Esquerda’s Catarina Martins, Rui Tavares left it open but stated that “presidential elections are not like tokens given in order of arrival to get in line.”
“I am not speaking about Catarina Martins in particular, but there is a myth that needs to be dismantled. Because certain people say ‘I arrived first and, therefore, confluence behind me,’ this is not in the interest of a candidacy,” he snapped, noting that the progressive field in Portugal “has given so many valuable people to this country.”
The party stated it is “excited” and “motivating people” to move forward, emphasizing the importance of having a candidate committed to defending the Constitution of the Republic.
When asked for names, Rui Tavares did not mention only party members.
“There are many people. There is Elisa Ferreira, Helena Roseta, Marta Temido. There are so many people who are available to serve the country. I can mention other names,” he specified.
The leader of Livre reinforced that the party still needs to have an internal debate and stressed the need for a presidential victory from the left.
“The appeal we make is for a thorough reflection on the crucial moment, the historical moment we are in. And that the possible candidates in the progressive and democratic field either reflect or even reopen the reflection they already made, because things are always changing.”
