Rui André, current president of the neighboring municipality of Monchique, is the PSD candidate for the Portimão City Council. The head of the list has just been formally announced by José Silvano, secretary general of the Social Democrats.
Rui André was elected in 2009 for the Municipality of Monchique, snatching from the PS what was an emblematic Chamber of Socialists, even for having been, for 27 long years, directed by one of the autarchic dinosaurs, Carlos Tuta.
The candidacy of the experienced mayor has already been approved by the District Political Commission and, on Tuesday evening, by the National Political Commission.
After three consecutive terms, Rui André, 46, professor of Visual Arts, can no longer apply for his native Monchique. Shielded by his 12-year work in the mountain council, he now appears as his party's candidate for the Municipality of Portimão, the second most populous municipality in the Algarve.
Rui André has a degree in Visual and Technological Education from the School of Education of the Polytechnic Institute of Beja (1999). He was a visual education teacher.
He attended the Post-Graduate Course in Archeology and Heritage at the Department of History of the Faculty of Social and Human Sciences, Universidade Nova de Lisboa (2002). Conducted the Interuniversity Program in Rotterdam, in Netherlands Hogeschool Rotterdam & Omstreken University of Professional Education (1998)
He specializes in “Art, Computers and Education” in Dordrecht, promoted by the Art and Design Department of Birmingham – University of Central England (1998). Specialized in Special Education and Art Therapy in Dordrecht – Netherlands (1998).
He attended the International Master of Total Applied Creativity at the Faculty of Educational Sciences at the University of Santiago de Compostela, Spain (1999).
In political terms, Rui André led JSD Monchique, was vice-president of the PSD Algarve, was a councilor in the Monchique municipality between 2001 and 2005, and was president of the local PSD.
In 2018, by proposal of the National Association of Portuguese Municipalities, it was elected representative of Portugal in the Committee of the Regions of the European Union. He is also Vice President of the Intermunicipal Community of the Algarve (AMAL).
Rui André, for his work in Monchique, is presented as a «model mayor» who will be able to bring his experience of more than a decade to the Portimão Town Council.
The candidacy of Rui André, who was one of the names subject to pre-evaluation by the electorate from Portimo, through a poll, appears after having failed the support of the local PSD to Luís Carito, former vice-president of the Portimão Chamber and figurehead of the regional PS, such as the Sul Informação gave an account first hand.
Carlos Gouveia Martins, president of the PSD/Portimão Municipal Section, told our newspaper that Rui André's candidacy should have the support of other parties, with which talks are still continuing for a possible coalition platform.
As for Luís Carito, the Municipality of CDS/PP Portimonense confirmed, in a meeting last Monday night, their support for the candidacy.
O return to the planned support of the social democrats of Portimão the former vice-president of the Socialist Chamber, meanwhile, led to a resignation in the Political Committee of the PSD, that of its vice-president João Rosado, who remains as supporter of Carito.
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