ALDE Party member Iniciativa Liberal elected Mariana Leitão as leader at a party Convention on 19 July.
Leitão, an MP and the current Parliamentary Group Leader in the Portuguese Parliament, was elected unopposed to succeed Rui Rocha MP, securing 73% of the vote share.
Addressing the Convention, Leitão pledged to offer a sensible alternative to extremist forces in Portugal and criticised the current government’s lack of reformist drive, which she argued has fuelled the rise of extremist alternatives.
“If more and more moderates are being defeated around the world, it is because many of them have crossed their arms and insisted on aimless stability,” she said.
Leitão also committed to advancing liberal solutions to key challenges in Portugal, including housing and healthcare, presenting liberalism as the alternative to the country’s current stagnation. She argued that the party must not shy away from bold positioning when standing up for liberal principles and presenting a new vision for the future of the country.
“A vision where economic growth is the foundation of social justice. Where individual responsibility goes hand in hand with cohesion. Where freedom is the engine of progress,” she said.
Additionally, Leitão announced that a new presidential candidate would be presented, following her decision to step down from the candidacy to focus on the party leadership.