Unveiling the Future: Who Will Lead Lisbon and Sintra in the Upcoming Elections?

Ongoing Uncertainty in Lisbon and Sintra Candidacies

With the Porto municipal process settled and Manuel Pizarro confirmed as the candidate, the focus of the Socialist Party now shifts to the two most populous cities: Lisbon and Sintra. Despite various names being mentioned, no final decisions have been made. The party leadership aims to finalize candidates by the end of the year, but discussions and evaluations are still ongoing.

Potential Candidates for Lisbon and Sintra

Mariana Vieira da Silva is the most discussed name for leading the Lisbon candidacy. Interestingly, her name is also being considered for Sintra, as confirmed by internal surveys conducted within the party.

In Sintra, multiple opinion polls have been conducted, the latest commissioned by the party's leadership, focusing on four main candidates: António Mendonça Mendes, Mariana Vieira da Silva, Ana Mendes Godinho, and Bruno Parreira, the vice-president under Basílio Horta.

These candidates are being evaluated against prominent names from the PSD, such as Marco Almeida and Pedro Santana Lopes. While results from the latest survey, carried out in the last two weeks, are pending, they will significantly influence the party's decision-making process, especially concerning Basílio Horta, the independent mayor who has been in office since 2013 and is required to step down due to term limits.

The Desired Candidate Profile

Currently, the local committee led by Bruno Parreira has defined the desired profile, with António Mendonça Mendes emerging as the preferred candidate. Mendes has already begun local outreach, visiting party sections and meeting with the mayor of Sintra. The party emphasizes that beyond the electoral weight of a candidate — which is difficult to gauge far from the election date — the ability to address local concerns is crucial.

Confusion and Delay in Candidate Selection

The management of the candidacy process in Sintra is characterized by confusion and delays, as reported by various sources. In a municipality undergoing a cycle change, the norm would be to prepare a successor well in advance. However, as the deadline approaches, uncertainties persist regarding the party's support in Sintra. Observers note that this is one of the last significant municipalities under PS control, necessitating a strong and impactful candidate.

Among the three most populous municipalities, the PS currently only governs Sintra, having lost Lisbon in the last elections and not controlling Porto since 2001, despite previously winning major municipalities in the district in 2017.