Manuel de Almeida / Lusa
The governor of the Bank of Portugal was leading the polls on hypothetical Socialist Party candidates. However, his focus is on a second term at BdP.
The governor of the Bank of Portugal, Mário Centeno, said this evening that he will not be a candidate for the Presidency of the Republic in the next elections, explaining that this was a “personal and very mature decision“.
In the Grande Interview, broadcast tonight on , Mário Centeno was asked about a possible candidacy for next year’s presidential elections, which will choose Marcelo Rebelo de Sousa’s successor as President of the Republic.
“Today the moment is more mature. I will not be a candidate to the Presidency of the Republic, I will not present any candidacy for the Presidency of the Republic, It’s not on my horizon for this to happen”, he replied.
The governor of the Bank of Portugal emphasized that this decision not to run for office “has no political dimension” and, when asked if he had communicated it to the PS leader, Pedro Nuno Santos, he replied that he had communicated it “to a group of people” with those who have been talking about the topic so that they would not find out through this interview.
Centeno insisted several times that it was an “individual and personal” decision, reiterating that the possibility of running for president next year It wasn’t something I looked forbut once this hypothesis arrived “this decision had to be made”.
According to the former Minister of Finance, this decision was made within his personal circle and his family, taking into account the “personal and professional” vision he has of himself and what he wants to do in the future.
“My focus is to complete my mandate, there is a second term, I never performed my duties to pass with 10”, he added.
The former Finance Minister of the PS Government (of António Costa) added that he knows that this decision is not in his hands but in those of the Government (PSD/CDS-PP, of Luís Montenegro).
Asked about his independence, Centeno assured that is independent as governor and that this independence “is very easy to assess”.
Independence “is not a state of mind”, but “the technical capacity to assert and analyze autonomously, consciously and rigorously” the decisions to be made.
Regarding the presidential elections, he was clear: “Right now I’m from Banco de Portugal, I have several positions at European level. (…) I have had a very active and present voice in European terms on the issue of inflation and interest rates and a gradualist vision that can be transmitted to people. That’s my focus“, he pointed out.
Centeno still left reviews to whom he suggested that his visits as governor of the Bank of Portugal to schools would already be part of a possible presidential campaign.
“Do you know how many people would vote in those rooms?” he asked.
In an interview given to TVI/CNN at the beginning of October 2024, the leader of the PS, Pedro Nuno Santosconsidered that the governor of the Bank of Portugal, Mário Centeno, would be a “good candidate” for president of the Republic, but that António José Seguro, António Vitorino or Ana Gomes are also other good names.
On November 25 last year, at the conference marking the third year of CNN Portugal, Mário Centeno had been asked about a possible race to Belém.
“Changes happen. Sometimes they are not expected, sometimes they are not expected. Changes have happened in my life in the last 10 years. Some of them were unexpected. I don’t fear change“, he then replied.
In November last year, former PS leader António José Seguro said he was considering a candidacy for the next presidential election.
Nas polls presented by , which consider potential candidates for the presidency of the Republic, Mário Centeno was the possible strongest PS candidatewhose name appeared right after that of Admiral Gouveia e Melo (who has led Portuguese voting intention predictions until now).
Centeno could, according to Barometer surveys, count on 43% of the votes of the Portuguese, above other potential socialist candidates such as António Vitorino, with 33%, António José Seguro, with 30% or Ana Gomes, with 27% of potential votes.
Pedro Nuno Santos has responded that this is not the time yet of the presidential candidate’s decision to be supported by the PS, but of the names that are interested appearing.
Last week, former President of the Assembly of the Republic Eduardo Ferro Rodrigues argued that the PS should hold open primaries to choose its candidate.
