State will save thousands of euros in subsidies for municipal campaigns

The Portuguese State should save thousands of euros with the payment of public subsidies to local election campaigns, due to the fact that several candidates presented expenses lower than the maximum amounts defined by law. In Lisbon and Porto alone, the estimated savings are 369,512 euros.

In accordance with party financing legislation, all lists that obtain at least 2% of the votes or elect a representative are entitled to a public subsidy, paid by the Assembly of the Republic, which set aside 44 million euros for this purpose. However, parties cannot profit from campaigns, with the subsidy being limited to the amount actually spent.

In Porto, where the maximum subsidy ceiling is 1,058,062 euros, six candidates will be entitled to state support: PSD/CDS/IL, PS, Chega, the independent Filipe Araújo, CDU and Livre. The coalition led by Pedro Duarte, winner with 37.3% of the votes, could receive 350 thousand euros, but budgeted only 210 thousand. In total, the Porto lists will receive 185.5 thousand euros less than expected.

In Lisbon, four of the nine applications will have access to the public subsidy, also with a ceiling of 1,058,062 euros. The Parliament should save 183.9 thousand eurosas most competitors presented expenses below the limit. Carlos Moedas (PSD), winner with 41.6% of the votes, budgeted 235 thousand euros and will receive 153 thousand less than the maximum amount predicted, explains the .

At national level, applications declared 16.2 million euros in expenses, around half of the total recorded in 2021, which will allow the State to make widespread savings. In total, organizing the local authorities cost 9.5 million euros, with four million going towards paying for polling stations and two million for airtime.