Jorge Pinto, 38 years old and a Livre MP, spoke at the announcement of his candidacy for the presidency in Amarante, his hometown located in the Porto district.
The candidate explained his decision to run, citing the absence of a non-partisan candidate who could unite the Left and reclaim the Presidency of the Republic.
He emphasized that his candidacy “was needed.” It is a candidacy “of democratic, ecologist, Europeanist, regionalist, and globalist Left; a feminist, anti-racist candidacy, staunch defender of human rights, dignity, and decency.”
“We need this, and I couldn’t turn my back on this fight. Today, I am very convinced that this was the right decision. My candidacy, our candidacy, will be a distinctive voice in these elections,” he stated, affirming his pride in being on the Left and that “the Left is not a drawer, but a window.”
Questioned by journalists about a lack of unity within the Left with several candidacies already announced, Jorge Pinto stated that he represents “an ideological space of the democratic Left, a Left that is not ashamed of being Left,” and he believes that the “Left still has time to make it to the second round.”
“Because it’s tiring, and really tiring, to have an agenda marked daily by topics and issues that say little to the Portuguese and contribute little to improving their daily lives,” he highlighted, assuring that he wants to bring to the campaign topics people want to hear, such as the rising cost of living or freedom.
In a context where the country has “a parliamentary majority of more than two-thirds of the right and far-right, both regional governments on the right, Lisbon, Porto, and Braga also with right-wing presidencies,” Jorge Pinto emphasized the particular importance of this presidential election.
“Because we need a President of the Republic who is a democratic counterweight. A President who has the courage and clarity to say what he will do if our regime and its foundations are under threat,” he stressed.
He made his “first promise.”
“If in Parliament there is the temptation to make a drastic revision of our Constitution, carried out only by the Right and the far-right, a drastic revision that did not go through the elections, that was not part of the electoral campaign, not discussed with the Portuguese, here is my promise: I will call the Portuguese back to the polls so that this discussion has its place and so that the Portuguese can say if they are comfortable with such a drastic revision of our Constitution,” he guaranteed.
Jorge Pinto clarified that he would call for new legislative elections.
In a lengthy speech, he also stated that advancing the regionalization process should be “a mission of any President of the Republic,” committed to ensuring the country’s representation in the Council of State, and to bringing “a Republican Pact across the country,” which is “also a pact to defend the regime” that he said is “at risk.”
Jorge Pinto is a graduate in Environmental Engineering and holds a Ph.D. in Social and Political Philosophy, with a thesis on “republicanism, ecology, and post-productivism.”
He was involved in founding Livre, is part of its current leadership (Contact Group), and has served as an MP in the Assembly of the Republic since 2024.
Livre also formally endorsed Jorge Pinto’s presidential candidacy following a non-binding internal consultation in which he received 67% of the members’ votes.
One of the party leaders, Rui Tavares, could not attend the announcement due to family reasons and sent a video message, while co-leader Isabel Mendes Lopes was present.
[Updated at 7:59 PM]
