Paulo Cunha/Lusa
The President of the arrival, André Ventura.
Leader of arrives apply against corruption and “uncontrolled immigration”. Ventura “had preferred Pedro Passos Coelho,” he admits, with the second round as the party’s objective.
“It was not ideal,” but André Ventura It will be in the race to the Presidency of the Republic at the beginning of next year. The Leader of the arrival announced on Tuesday, at a press conference at the party headquarters, his candidacy for Belém, in the presidential elections scheduled for January 18, 2026.
“It’s no secret to anyone I searched, I talked and spoke to other possible names,” explains Ventura: “I had preferred that Pedro Passos Coelho He was a candidate for president, ”he admitted, recognizing, however, that“ the arrival became the second largest party ”and that“ opposition leadership cannot silently leave an candidacy that will represent the elections, the arrival cannot ignore its supporters and militants ”.
His candidacy is “right now, the best way to lead the opposition in Portugal,” believes André Ventura.
In a letter directed to the arrival of the arrival of the arrival, according to SIC, Ventura left the tip that will have made an invitation to Passos Coelho To be a candidate for head of state in the next elections, with the support of the party but, in the face of the former prime minister, as well as other figures considered by the arrival, Ventura advances for the race to presidential.
This Tuesday, Ventura already confirmed that he is applied with two main flags that brings from arrival: fight against corruption and “Controversial immigration”. The goal is to have the arrival in a second lap of the presidential.
“The space to fight corruption and uncontrolled immigration could not be without a candidate,” said the now candidate for Belém.
Last month, Ventura assured that the race for the succession of Marcelo Rebelo de Sousa was overcome. In December, the intention to return to the President of the Republic, but had been distanced from this possibility when early legislature were marked, from which the arrival was reinforced, after becoming in.
Last Friday, Ventura indicated to be closer to advancing, in the opening speech of a meeting of a National Council allegedly very divided in relation to your candidacy.
“If you want, and understand that I should go, I will be here. If you understand that I should not go, I will be. If you understand that another or another, and who, I must go, I will be, as well as the one that best represents you,” he said. Ventura said, however, that applying for presidential elections of the beginning of next year It was not “the ideal” and that It would be “a bad sign for the country that the opposition leader is a candidate for president.”
Ventura invited Passos Coelho
Ventura now joins a race that already has Henrique Gouveia and Melo, Luís Marques Mendes, João Cotrim de Figueiredo, António José Seguro, António Filipe and Catarina Martins.
In the last poll for the presidential, held by Intercampus, Ventura ahead of insurance and just behind the two main candidates, Gouveia and Melo and Marques Mendes. The Leader of the arrival obtained 14% of voting intentions in the barometer – less 3 percentage points than Marques Mendes.
The last poll for eventual legislatures predicted a unprecedented result: o .
According to Ventura, his “shadow government” will be announced on Thursday, September 18.
André Ventura the President of the Republic, in 2021, when Marcelo Rebelo de Sousa went to his second term in Belém, and managed 11,90% Of the votes, in third place, behind Ana Gomes.
