Liberal representation in Portugal got a boost this month.
In last weekend’s local elections, ALDE member party Iniciativa Liberal increased their representation in numerous municipal assemblies and entered assemblies in other municipalities for the first time. The party tripled their number of elected officials, going from 89 to 275, and widened their reach in new regions across the country. Liberals now have representatives in 19 out of 20 districts in Portugal.
In key regions, Iniciativa Liberal ran in collaboration with several centre-right parties, with the goal of maximising results. This resulted in key victories in the cities of Lisbon and Porto, where winning candidates were backed by liberals. As a result, they have pledged reflect liberal policies in their respective cities, given the decisive support.
Despite uncertainties prior to the election, liberal influence is steadily growing at the local level in Portugal, while support for rival parties appears to be stagnating or even slipping.
Party leader Mariana Leitão gave an impassioned speech on election night, as the results came in from her first campaign as party leader. In her remarks, she underscored the importance of this result for liberals, not only extending the party’s presence across Portugal, but also closing the door to the radical left and right.
Watch her speech in full (in Portuguese) below or on Facebook.
Video Credit: Iniciativa Liberal