After Rui Rocha, it is now the turn of Carla Castro to announce that she is also a candidate for the leadership of the Liberal Initiative (IL) in the December elections, in which João Cotrim Figueiredo will not run again.
The announcement was made by Carla Castro during the TSF Forum. “It is with pleasure, honor and responsibility that I also confirm that I will be a candidate,” the deputy said in statements to radio. “We have a candidate,” he assumed.
He admitted that “the departure” of João Cotrim Figueiredo from the IL presidency was a surprise and that coming forward with a candidacy “obviously deserved serious consideration”.
“I sincerely believe that I can and will lead the party’s list for a new phase of growth, with a program that is very focused on growth and social mobility,” he said.
Asked about the differences she presents regarding Rui Rocha, also a Liberal deputy, who came forward on Sunday for this election race, Carla Castro said there will “certainly be differences, both from the point of view of the party’s internal governance and from the point of view of external modes and priorities”, making it clear that both have “a matrix of political, economic and social liberalism” and both respect the matrix that has enabled the “successful growth of IL” through “different ways contribute to this growth.
“There is no one here to deny, there is no rupture, but there is a new phase,” he assured, guaranteeing that he intends “to take advantage of the enormous capital that the party has because the party has a strength and energy.” which can be greatly improved”.
In addition to “respecting liberals in all respects”, the deputy who will now be a candidate for leadership stressed the issue of social mobility, which she says has not received the necessary attention in Portugal.
“I am ready to take liberalism to another phase now,” he stressed.
On Monday’s statements by António Costa, Carla Castro was unequivocal: “I am very sorry. I don’t see myself rigorous at all, of course. I am not a populist, I am a reformist.”
Deputy Rui Rocha has so far been the only candidate for IL leadership, having already received the support of the party’s current leader, João Cotrim Figueiredo, who is not running again in December’s elections.
In an interview with TSF on Tuesday morning, Rui Rocha said he welcomed the competition in the race to lead the side. “I believe it has enriched the demographic debate within the party,” he said.
On Sunday, IL announced that the party will go to elections in December and that João Cotrim Figueiredo, the current leader, “will no longer be a candidate”.
In a communication from João Cotrim Figueiredo to the militants and later published on social media, the now outgoing leader spoke of a “personally and politically difficult” decision.
“The party needs a more combative, more popular and more inclusive stance at the national level and I understand that I am not the right person to lead this change,” he adds, as “the work of opposition to an absolute majority and the positioning of the different parties implies a different approach than has been followed so far.”
— João Cotrim Figueiredo (@jcf_liberal) October 23, 2022
Source: DN
