ZAP // Paulo Novais, Tiago Petinga / Lusa
PSD and Liberal Initiative are preparing an alliance that could extend to the main municipalities, including Lisbon and Porto. IL Convention and the re-election of Rui Rocha with a majority is seen as fundamentalmental.
The PSD and the Liberal Initiative (IL) will be finalizing a municipal agreement with a view to the elections that should take place between September and October this year, an “embrace” that is seen as a rehearsal for a possible coalition at national level if both parties obtain enough votes for a parliamentary majority.
The signing is scheduled after the IL National Convention, scheduled for February 1 and 2 in Loures, where Rui Rocha is expected to be re-elected leader, according to this Saturday, which found that the agreement between Luís Montenegro and the liberal leader could cover the main municipalities in the country, such as Lisbon and Porto.
The objective of the pact is facilitate alliances at the local level. Although some municipalities may be left out, the agreement is expected to cover the largest cities.
The PSD intends to “combat the dispersion of votes to the right that will necessarily happen because of Chega’s candidacies”, says a source from Sol: “on the other hand, it is of interest to the Liberal Initiative, which is mainly interested in electing councilors and municipal deputies”.
The leaders will be aligned, but the agreement needs approval by the national councils of both parties. The IL Convention and the re-election of Rui Rocha with a majority will be decisive, says the weekly.
National scenario at stake
The agreement between PSD and IL is seen as a test for future coalitions at the national level. The proximity between Luís Montenegro and Rui Rocha reflects their desire to explore synergies that could strengthen their respective positions in Parliament.
Final decisions on the agreement and municipal candidacies are expected to be announced in the coming weeks, after the IL National Convention.
In Lisbon, Carlos Moedas, the current president of the chamber for the PSD Carlos Moedas Alexandra Leitão, socialist candidate.
In Porto, PSD has not yet made its candidacy official, but Pedro Duarte appears as the favorite. In Sintra, the PSD is betting on Marco Almeida, who has already contested the leadership of the municipality, currently led by the socialists for 12 years.
