It is the only Algarve City Council led by the CDU, but will it continue to have that status after 26 September? Seven candidates are running for the municipality of Silves, in this month's Autárquicas, in a fight that has the current president, a former councilor and newcomers.
Since 2013, Rosa Palma (CDU) leads the Silves Chamber. A teacher by profession, she won the last elections, in 2017, with an absolute majority and wants to leave for a last term at the head of the municipality's destinies.
Before the CDU assumed the leadership of the Chamber, it was the PSD who governed Silves for 12 years. To try to lead the autarchy again, the Social Democrats are betting this year on João Garcia, farmer and agronomist.
The candidate is the current president of the Association of Irrigants and Beneficiaries of Silves, Lagoa and Portimão. He is also curious to be a technician at the Silves Chamber and one of the owners of Quinta de Santo Estêvão, which produces citrus fruit and also hosts parties.
The PS, which has also presided over this autarchy, has been removed from the seat of power for many years. The last time he won elections for the Chamber of Silves was in 1989, but the Socialist candidate Luís Guerreiro now wants to invert this state of affairs.
The current president of the council of PS de Silves is an architect and member of the socialist caucus in the Municipal Assembly. It was an expected name, in the PS hosts, to lead this race.
In the fight for the Chamber of Silves, there is also José Paulo Sousa, a lawyer and well-known name of the local politician who is running for Chega.
In addition to having been a councilor elected by the PSD, he was also a member of the Parish Assembly and a municipal deputy for the Social Democrats, now debuting in a candidacy for the Chamber, but to service André Ventura's party.
For the Left Block, the competitor is Fátima Silva, a young psychologist who was born in Portimão, while for the CDS/PPM/Aliança coalition, the chosen one is Paula Sousa, a teacher and agricultural entrepreneur.
Finally, António Sequeira, who is dedicated to consulting and online business management and to the exploitation of carob in lands that are family heirlooms, is the head of the Liberal Initiative's list.
Moving on to the Municipal Assembly, there is news at the CDU, with the head of the list being Débora Quaresma, commercial assistant who is part of the administrative desk of Santa Casa da Misericórdia de Silves and the Supervisory Board of Sociedade Filarmónica Silvense.
At the PSD, the chosen one is a face known to the Social Democrats: José Pedro Soares, who headed the PSD council of Silves and was a councilor, with no assigned areas of responsibility. He is also curious to be the son of Isabel Soares, former mayor of Silves.
On a professional level, José Pedro Soares was in the extinct municipal company Portimão Urbis and was part of the Administration of the Ports of Sines and Algarve.
The PS, in turn, is head of the list Ana Sofia Ferreira, who is already a municipal deputy, elected by the socialists.
The remaining candidates are Carlos Cabrita (BE), Bruno Martins (CDS/PPM/Aliança), Tieres Neves (Chega) and Daniel Silva (Liberal Initiative).
In Silves, there are six Parish Assemblies. Currently, three are led by the PSD, two by the CDU and one by the PS.
In the Silves Parish Assembly, the CDU candidate is Tito Coelho, the current president. As competitors, the mayor has Jorge Sequeira (PS), Suzana Santos (PSD), Célia Silva (BE), Maria das Dores Martins (Enough) and Bruno Faria (Liberal Initiative).
In São Bartolomeu de Messines, the CDU is also the leader and Carla Benedito, current president of the Board, is running for the position she already holds.
The other heads of list are Inácio Martins (PS), Marco Mamede (PSD) and André Pires (Enough).
São Marcos da Serra has Luís Cabrita (PSD) as president of the Parish Council. The social democrat is re-candidate for the position, facing competition from Luís Rafael (CDU) and Eduardo Nascimento (PS).
Armação de Pêra also has a PSD Parish Council and Ricardo Pinto, current president, is the new candidate. Ramiro Feliz (PS), Pedro Encarnação (Chega) and Alice Santos (CDU) close the list of candidates.
In Algoz and Tunis, the competitors are Sérgio Antão (PSD), current mayor, Nelson Marques (PS), Dário Grave (CDU) and Nelson Marques (PS).
Finally, for the União de Freguesias de Alcantarilha and Pêra, which is led by the PS, the candidate is Roberto Cabrita. João dos Santos, current president, does not apply again.
Raul Santos (CDU) and Jorge Gomes (PSD) are also heads of list for the respective parties.
In 2017, 15.530 people voted in the municipality of Silves, out of a universe of 30.218 subscribers, which corresponds to 51,39% of the total (abstention was 48,61%).
The CDU received 52,65% of the votes and elected 4 councilors (mayor included), the PSD reached 21,61% (2 councilors) and the PS got 14,39% (1 councilor).
The Left Bloc had 3,18% of the votes and the CDS/PPM 2,32%.
Note: Corrected on September 18 the name of the candidate of the CDS/PPM/Aliança coalition, which is Paula Sousa, a teacher and agricultural entrepreneur, and not Edgar Jacinto, who is number 2 on the list, due to an error in the Sul Informação.
Comments