In Portugal, the Socialists win the municipal elections

The Socialists, in power in Portugal, won the municipal elections on Sunday, September 26, but suffered a surprise defeat in Lisbon, according to results covering almost all constituencies.

Out of a total of 308 municipalities, the camp of Prime Minister Antonio Costa won 34.4% of the vote and won in at least 147 municipalities, against 30.8% of the vote and 108 town halls for the central opposition law.

Already winners in the local elections of 2013 and 2017, the Socialists expected a shorter victory than four years ago, when they achieved the best result in their history with 161 town halls and 38% of the vote, against 98 municipalities and 28% of the vote for the main opposition formation, the Social Democratic Party (PSD, center right), and its allies.

Independent Rui Moreira returned to Porto

But, in Lisbon, the right-wing coalition led by the former European commissioner, Carlos Moedas, defied all forecasts to beat the outgoing mayor, Fernando Medina – who admitted his defeat on the night from Sunday to Monday -, with 35 , 8% of the vote against 31.7% for the Socialist. In Porto, the big city in the north of the country, the independent Rui Moreira was largely renewed for a new term, as the polls anticipated.

With a slight increase in abstention, to 46.3%, this election took place in a generally favorable context for the government of Antonio Costa, which had just announced the lifting of most of the health restrictions still in force from Thursday. next.

The Prime Minister had personally invested a lot in the campaign by promising to restore the economy of the country, hard hit by the Covid-19 pandemic, thanks to investment projects financed by the European recovery plan.