Francisco Amaral was re-elected mayor of Castro Marim by the PSD, but lost the majority he held and saw José Estevens, former Castro-Marinean mayor by the Social Democrats, who broke with the party (and with Francisco Amaral) enter the executive. .
Even so, the dean of Portuguese mayors – “I am the biggest dinosaur of all”, he comments, laughing – says he is “not worried at all” and believes he will manage to reach a consensus with the opposition, for the good of the population.
In statements to the Sul Informação, Francisco Amaral stressed that he fought «against two heavyweights, the PS and the coalition of Dr. José Estevens [CM1 – Castro Marim Primeira], and even so, I won». “CM1 created a split in the PSD electorate and stole votes from us. The PS lost votes in relation to 2103 and had the worst vote ever in Castro Marim», he said.
This determined that the PSD now has the same councilors as the PS, two in total, and that the fifth element of the council is José Estevens, head of the list of the independent candidacy. A situation that does not worry Francisco Amaral, who says he is "a man of consensus". «I am a person of common sense and who seeks consensus. I appeal to the common sense of my opponents, for the good of Castro Marim», he said.
But Célia Brito, head of the PS list, who lost the election for the presidency of the Chamber by only 32 votes, guarantees that it will not be the socialists who will prevent "structuring works from being carried out". “If there is any proposal from the Chamber and the interests of the Castro-Marinenses are at stake, we will not block it. With regard to structural works, they can count on the PS», he assured, in statements to Sul Informação.
On other issues, namely those that are focused on the PS program, such as "the subsidies of the program contracts and the mobile health unit", which were at the center of the debate during the campaign, the socialists say they will not facilitate. “We will not block [the executive's action], but we will not fail to make responsible opposition. Now that dr. Francisco Amaral does not have a majority, the proposals will have to be more polished», warned Célia Brito.
These positions are assumed in the aftermath of the vote, but, at least on the part of Francisco Amaral, there is the intention to sit down at the table with the opposition councilors, to try to create a platform for understanding. Nor does it rule out the possibility of offering a portfolio to one of the socialist councilors.
“We are going to talk to the PS about this possibility, always from a consensus and not a guerrilla perspective. What matters are the interests of the population», said the re-elected mayor.
Célia Brito, on the other hand, says she does not believe that there is a proposal in this regard. “When it comes up, it's something to think about, depending on the molds in which it is made. But I have my ideology, I won't accept it for accepting», he assured. In other words, it will have to be something that brings benefits to the council.
As for the relationship with the third political force with a seat in the Chamber, the independent candidate of CM1, Célia Brito believes that there will be many situations in which they will agree, "taking into account what was defended by both in the campaign".
But, also here, they will be specific common fronts and only in relation to certain themes. "It won't be a blocking front, it won't be something fixed," guaranteed Célia Brito.
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