Sérgio Sousa Pinto announced on Friday that he has decided to withdraw from the Socialist Party’s (PS) list for the legislative elections on May 18, stating that it was “time to leave” and clarifying that his position on the candidate list was not the “central issue” in his decision, but rather a “trigger.”
“I made the difficult decision not to join the Socialist Party lists because I felt the need to question myself. The lists presented by the Socialist Party forced me to confront difficult questions about my role in this great orchestra of Portuguese politics and the Socialist Party, and I could not find – at this stage of national life and my life – an answer that seemed satisfactory to me”, he said in a statement to CNN Portugal.
The member of the Socialist Party cited “issues related to the positioning, choices, and major options of the party” as factors in his decision. “These are issues that are distressing to me and that surfaced in an unbearable way when the Socialist Party decided to organize its candidate lists for Parliament,” he explained.
When asked whether his decision was influenced by occupying the fourth place on the list for the Lisbon district, Sousa Pinto clarified that on Monday, he had a “conversation with the party leader,” Pedro Nuno Santos, during which he was “cordially invited to join the party lists.”
“I agreed, as I always have. I was unaware of the lists and only came to know them on Wednesday with everyone else”, he assured, stating, however, that the positioning “is not the central issue” leading to his departure.
“The list served as a trigger and an excuse that forced me to face certain difficult realities about my role and the role reserved for me at this stage of national life and within the party. I considered – and I say this without resentment – that, for my own peace of mind, it was time to leave”, he added.
Sérgio Sousa Pinto also noted contemplation of the “valuation of people” within the PS and expressed difficulty in integrating into the party lists under these circumstances.
“If the lists had no pretension, they would be arranged alphabetically; the lists express the political assessment of people, and we all need to be comfortable with that assessment”, he said, emphasizing that “from the moment a person does not feel well, they should leave” and “do so without drama.”
“We should do this with humility, and unfortunately, this episode had an impact that was, for me, disproportionate,” he lamented.
He rejected any underlying political intentions behind his decision. He assured: “None of my decisions has ever been determined by any calculation related to my political aspirations, and this is no exception.”
As a “militant and supporter” of the PS, Sérgio Sousa Pinto wished “the greatest success to the comrades who will be candidates in the upcoming elections and to the Secretary-General, Pedro Nuno Santos,” adding that he will not refrain from “contributing to the campaign,” an “obligation” he fulfills with “joy.”
“My connection with the Socialist Party is very strong, and I believe it is possible to serve the country and make a useful contribution outside the Assembly of the Republic”, he declared.
It is recalled that Sérgio Sousa Pinto, ranked fourth on the list for Lisbon approved by the National Political Commission, announced on Thursday morning that he.
A source from the PS leadership told Lusa that, after initially agreeing to run again, the deputy informed Pedro Nuno Santos of his decision not to join the lists due to his rank and the three names ahead of him.
Ahead of Sérgio Sousa Pinto were the list leader and former minister, Mariana Vieira da Silva, the former Secretary of State Miguel Cabrita, and the former Vice President of Parliament Edite Estrela.
The Secretary-General of the PS, Pedro Nuno Santos, today stated that Sérgio Sousa Pinto’s refusal to join the legislative list does not weaken the party, which is united and committed to winning the elections.
Lusa | 21:52 – 04/04/2025
Also on Friday, Pedro Nuno Santos claimed that Sérgio Sousa Pinto’s refusal does not weaken the party.
“What is important to mention is that we had, for example, an almost unanimous approval of the lists, and that is the strength of the Socialist Party, which is deeply united in this electoral battle,” stated Pedro Nuno Santos, reacting to the refusals of Sérgio Sousa Pinto and Fernando Medina to join the lists for the upcoming legislative elections.
