After leaving the National Council at around 1 p.m., which among other things decided that the VII National Convention of IL will be held in Lisbon, on January 21 and 22 of the following year, Rui Rocha said it was a “very happy day” for the party, with an emphasis on “discussion and open debate”.
“The idea prevailed that a comprehensive calendar was needed so that everyone could present their candidacy, get to know the candidatures and proposals well. .
For Rui Rocha, the internal elections in January are “a date when all the interests at stake are in balance”, as this election calendar is “fundamental to the clarification of the Members and for the country to start the discussion on the leadership” of the party.
“I did not submit a proposal of mine because there was a motion on the table that met the objectives I had set and was happily approved,” he explained.
According to the MEP’s analysis, there is an “internal debate to be had, a new leadership to choose”, but there remains “a country where the presence of IL is fundamental given the deterioration of the political climate, the political context, the difficulties presented by the Portuguese”.
“I am very pleased with the outcome of this internal clarification that it will be possible, from the point of view of the ideas debate, to make the choice of a new leadership, or the conditions arising from this, so that IL can grow and assert itself and wage a political struggle, to socialist policies that condemn the country to more years of stagnation and economic difficulties,” he defended.
Regarding the size of the Executive Committee he will present – his opponent Carla Castro promised a body with the minimum size allowed by the statute, i.e. 15 members – Rui Rocha explained that in order to have “adequate growth” and “bringing new proposals and ideas for IL”, an Executive Committee is needed “covering different areas, bringing diverse knowledge and experience”.
The candidate will propose an Executive Committee that will have between 20 and 25 members.
Carla Castro Promises Executive Committee Of Only 15 Members And More Participatory Management
In turn, IL’s leadership candidate Carla Castro was “perfectly satisfied” with the internal election calendar, promising an Executive Committee with just 15 members, as few as possible, and “a more participatory management model”.
Leaving the IL National Council, which spent about 13 hours discussing and voting the regiment of the party’s VII National Convention, which will take place in Lisbon on January 21 and 22 of the following year, Carla Castro said that this is the case was a “day of huge congratulations” as it marks the first time liberals have “have at least two candidatures”.
Insisting that it was a “day of liberal victories” because competition, plurality and discussion are part of liberals, Carla Castro believed that it will now be possible to “define the campaign strategy and ultimately publicize not only liberal reforms and liberal ideas, but also grow liberalism in Portugal”.
“The calendar leaves me completely satisfied. I said I didn’t like any of the dates. I said I didn’t intend to [qualquer data]since I did not intend to vote in the National Council and that is what happened,” he assured in statements on the way to the exit of the IL National Council, which took place in Coimbra.
The candidate also believed that one should “take advantage of the internal debate phase to show the country the value of IL, members, ideas” and why liberals are “missed by Portugal”.
Carla Castro has committed to an Executive Committee of the minimum size allowed by the statute, i.e. 15 members – currently this body has a maximum number of 25 – also intending to “create a more participatory, more decentralized, collaborative management model”.
“The goal is to have a smaller dimension, but to cooperate with other structures of the party,” he explained.
In the race to succeed João Cotrim Figueiredo in the snap elections are deputies and leaders Carla Castro and Rui Rocha for now.
Source: DN
