The big news dropped this week. Carlos Moedas, the current leader of Lisbon’s city hall, confirmed his plans. He will officially run for mayor again. The announcement will come before July ends.
Just a few weeks ago, Moedas, a Social Democrat, sounded unsure. He said he was still “thinking things over.” People wondered if his party would join forces with the Liberal Initiative party. He did not say anything about that.
Moedas told Expresso newspaper he has “much more to give” to the people of Lisbon. He said he simply could not finish all his promises in just one term. Four years is not enough time to fix everything, he explained.
He feels a strong duty to keep going. Moedas wants to see his plans for Lisbon’s future completed. He pointed out that a previous socialist government left many problems. “No one can fix issues created over 14 years in just four,” he stated.
Moedas feels he has done a lot already. But he sees even more work ahead. He believes Lisbon’s citizens deserve to see these projects finished. He added that the city needs steady leadership. It is not a time for wild, risky ideas.
Moedas kept details about his campaign close to his chest. He did not name his second-in-command for the upcoming race. He also kept quiet about how spots would be split with any coalition partners.
The political field in Lisbon is getting crowded. Beyond a possible link-up between Moedas’s Social Democrats and the Liberal Initiative, other groups are talking. The Socialist Party, Livre, Left Bloc, and PAN are discussing a joint run. Their talks are still ongoing. No decision date has been set yet.
A few other players have already jumped into the race. Alexandra Leitão is running for the Socialists. João Ferreira is representing the CDU. Carolina Serrão is the candidate for the Left Bloc. Ossanda Líber will run for Nova Direita. José Pinto Coelho is in the race for Ergue-te. And Bruno Mascarenhas is running for Chega.
Carlos Moedas won his current term in 2021. He leads a coalition of parties: PSD, CDS-PP, MPT, PPM, and Aliança. But he does not have a clear majority. This means he has to work hard to get things done.
The next election day is set for October 12.