Almost 90 mayors leaving in these elections

Almost 90 mayors are leaving these local elections after reaching the limit of three consecutive terms in the same municipality, most of them socialists.

In addition to the 89 mayors who are leaving their respective municipalities in these elections, scheduled for October 12, another 46 who were also at the end of their terms have already left their posts in the last two years, mainly to occupy positions in the Government, as deputies in the Assembly of the Republic or in Europe and public offices: 28 from the PSD or social-democratic coalitions, 16 from the PS, one CDU (PCP/PEV) and one from Juntos Pelo Povo (JPP).

Of the 89 mayors at the end of their term, 49 are socialists, 21 are social democrats or from coalitions led by the PSD, 12 from the CDU, three from the CDS-PP and four are independents.

Among the mayors who will have to leave the presidency of the municipalities are the independent Rui Moreira, in Porto, Carlos Carreiras (PSD) in Cascais and Basílio Horta (PS) in Sintra, in the district of Lisbon, Ribau Esteves (PSD), president of the City Council of Aveiro, Ricardo Rio, in Braga (PSD/CDS-PP/PPM/Aliança), and Rogério Bacalhau, in Faro (PSD/CDS-PP/IL/MPT/PPM)

In addition to the independent Rui Moreira, in the district of Porto, six other mayors are at the end of their term, namely three from the PS (Lousada, Paços de Ferreira and Valongo) and three from the PSD or coalitions led by the social democrats (Póvoa de Varzim, Penafiel and Amarante).

In Viana do Castelo, the socialists from Paredes de Coura and Melgaço are also unable to stand again, while in the district of Aveiro there are six presidents at the limit of their terms: Aveiro, Estarreja and Murtosa (all PSD), Vale de Cambra and Albergaria-a-Velha (both CDS-PP) and the president of Anadia, elected by a citizens' movement.

In Braga, in addition to the mayor of the district capital, the mayors of Guimarães (PS) and Amares (PSD) are also at the end of their cycle, while in the district of Vila Real the mayor of Santa Marta de Penaguião (PS) cannot stand for re-election.

In Viseu, there are eight presidents at the end of their term in the chambers of Armamar, Tabuaço and Tarouca (PSD or in coalition with the CDS-PP) and the socialists of São Pedro do Sul, Santa Comba Dão, Resende, Penalva do Castelo and Cinfães.

In Coimbra, the presidents of six municipal councils, all socialists, are leaving in Condeixa-a-Nova, Lousã, Miranda do Corvo, Montemor-o-Velho, Soure and Vila Nova de Poiares.

In the Guarda district there are three: the socialists of Trancoso and Fornos de Algodres and the social democrat of Gouveia.

In the district of Castelo Branco there are six presidents, five of whom are socialists, who cannot run again for the same local authorities because they have reached the limit of terms in the councils of Covilhã (PS), Fundão (PSD), Belmonte (PS), Penamacor (PS), Idanha-a-Nova (PS) and Vila Velha de Ródão (PS).

In the district of Santarém, Almeirim, Chamusca, Coruche, Salvaterra de Magos, Torres Novas and Vila Nova da Barquinha, all from the PS, Benavente (CDU) and Sardoal (PSD), have mayors at the end of their term.

The socialist from Figueiró dos Vinhos, in the district of Leiria, also reached the limit of mandates.

In Lisbon, five presidents reached their term limit, in Cascais (PSD/CDS-PP) and Sobral de Monte Agraço (CDU), in addition to the socialists from Sintra, Lourinhã and Alenquer.

In the district of Setúbal, there are four CDU presidents prevented from running again for the same local authority in Palmela, Grândola, Santiago do Cacém and Alcácer do Sal, in addition to the president of Sines (PS).

In Évora, there are four mayors who are prevented from running again for the municipalities of Évora and Arraiolos, both communist, Portel (PS) and Borba (independent).

In Portalegre, there are six mayors who cannot run again for the socialist municipalities of Gavião, Ponte de Sor and Nisa. The mayors of the communist municipalities of Monforte and Avis are also unable to run again, as is the social democrat from Castelo de Vide.

In the district of Beja, the presidents of Almodôvar (PS) and Cuba (CDU) reached the end of their terms.

In the Algarve, there are five presidents at the end of their term, including the president of Faro (PSD) and the socialists of the municipalities of Loulé, São Brás de Alportel and Olhão, in addition to the communist mayor of Silves.

In the Azores, the socialist presidents of Angra do Heroísmo, Corvo and Santa Cruz das Flores are leaving, as well as a centrist in Velas, a social democrat in Ribeira Grande and an independent in Calheta.

In Madeira, five of the total of 11 mayors must leave: three social democrats or coalitions led by the PSD from the councils of Calheta, Ribeira Brava and São Vicente and the socialists from Machico and Porto Moniz.

Bragança is the only district where there are no presidents within the limit of their municipal terms.

Portugal has 308 municipalities, most of which elected socialist executives in 2021.

A year ago, at the beginning of August, out of a total of 308 mayors of Portuguese municipalities, 105 remained in office, prevented from running again in the next local elections due to the limit of three consecutive terms at the head of the same municipality.