Scolding in Sintra: PSD and Chega together, councilor “violated IL decision”

Liberal Eunice Baeta is part of the new executive. But IL has always said that it would never join any government with Chega.

It was one of the tightest disputes in this year’s local elections: it was already early in the morning when it was known that Marco Almeida would be the new president of the City Council of Sintra.

The leader of the coalition list PSD/IL/PAN obtained 33.86% of the votes, just over 31.67% of the PS/Livre coalition, led by Ana Mendes Godinho.

But, as happened in many other municipalities, there was tie: 4 mandates for each coalition.

To resolve this tie, Marco Almeida will integrate Chega into the executive. Chega has two responsibilities: Anabela Macedo with Security and Municipal Inspection, Ricardo Aragão Pinto with the portfolios of Economic Activities, Community Funds and Municipal Markets.

The adds that Rita Matias, who was the leader of Chega’s list, is left out because she prefers to continue to be a deputy in the Assembly of the Republic.

Marco Almeida tried to bring together the two parties (PS and Chega) in the new executive. But the PS demanded that Chega stay out – and Chega demanded that PS stay out.

“The PSD imposed that the executive had to be with everyone. We refused Chega and the president decided on Chega. It’s an option”, laments Ana Mendes Godinho in Público.

IL didn’t like it

The president of the Liberal Initiative, Mariana Leitão, announced today to have political trust removed from Eunice Baetawho accepted to be councilor in Sintra in this executive that will also have Chega.

Eunice Baeta (IL) will be responsible for Administrative and Digital Modernization.

Mariana Leitão also asked Eunice Baeta resign to the position of member of the party’s Executive Committee, “for the conditions for political trust are not met to continue exercising it, which was oil”, released IL in a statement.

In this statement, signed by the IL leader, Mariana Leitão, she reveals that Eunice Baeta, councilor elected by the PSD/IL coalition in Sintra, informed her on Thursday that she had made the decision to integrate an executive with Chega councilors, “violating the decision taken by the IL Executive Committee”.

“On October 21st, the Executive Committee of the Liberal Initiative deliberated in a meeting not accept the integration of Chega councilors in municipal executives where IL is integrated into governance in coalition with the PSD. This position was approved with just one vote against and no abstentions”, the note reads.

Thus, Mariana Leitão decided to “withdraw political trust from Eunice Baeta, leaving her mandate to be exercised on behalf of the Liberal Initiative”, a decision that she said she communicated “first to herself after becoming aware of her decision”.

The IL leader emphasizes that the party “always said it would never join any government with Chega” and reaffirms “this insurmountable position”.

“The Liberal Initiative does not share or tolerate the populism, o authoritarianism or the hatred that Chega amplifies and represents. There is no possible compromise between those who defend individual freedom, responsibility and the rule of law with those who live off division, demagoguery and attacks on democratic institutions”, he maintains.

According to Mariana Leitão, “the Liberal Initiative does not abdicate its principles for any position, nor does it enable or whitewash the Chega party’s political project”.

It’s a sign of “guerrilla” between the party leadership and the municipality of Sintra, as Público suggested even before this statement.