The former leader of the Liberal Initiative, João Cotrim Figueiredo, felt this Sunday that the party has “delivered excellently” to Rui Rocha and ruled out future internal divisions, stating that the candidates “are democrats” and will accept the results.
“It’s no secret that Rui Rocha was my choice as a candidate and I think that’s why [o partido] it was delivered excellently. I say more, without false modesty, I think it is better left to you than to me,” João Cotrim Figueiredo said in statements to journalists after Rui Rocha’s victory speech.
The now-former leader of the Liberal Initiative said he believes the party could “grow more” under Rui Rocha than during his time in office.
Asked if he fears Rui Rocha will struggle to assert himself among the electorate at a time when a poll shows João Cotrim Figueiredo the most popular leader among the Portuguese, the former leader replied: “I firmly believe that this most popular place will be owned by Rui Rocha in six months time”.
In these statements to journalists, Cotrim Figueiredo said that he did not think that internal divisions could arise in IL after this election, stating that the people who had worked with him had all shown that “they are democrats”.
“Therefore, despite legitimate democratic elections, there is acceptance of the results and I think it even facilitates because it clarifies everyone’s position,” he stressed.
The former leader stressed that within the IL parliamentary group – to which both Rui Rocha and defeated candidate Carla Castro belong – there have been occasions when the various deputies had “differences about what to do and what not to do” and have resolved us “always “.
“We always solve it democratically and I’m sure it will continue and even improve,” he said.
Asked if he believes his support for Rui Rocha’s candidacy was decisive, Cotrim Figueiredo stressed that his position is “never to hide the opinions” he has, referring to the fact that “no one would understand” if he would have a “strong opinion”. about the internal dispute, defended it “privately” and not publicly.
“I think this openness, this frontality was appropriate, and I think it’s the right thing to do. Whether it was decisive or not, that just depends on the credibility and confidence that the members of the IL had in the choices that this executive committee and I did,” he said.
As for his future, the former leader of the IL assured “in all honesty” that he still does not have a “very clear perspective” on what he will do, especially at the political level, but assured that he will continue to fulfill his mandate of substitute.
“I will be in the Assembly of the Republic, I will have more work in committees now that I no longer have party chairmanship responsibilities. I have joined the constitutional review committee and therefore this will certainly be enough to make a positive decision take.” contribution to the party’s political activity. The rest I honestly couldn’t think of until now,” he said.
Cotrim Figueiredo also wanted to leave “a hug of solidarity and huge appreciation” to the IL’s parliamentary leader, Rodrigo Saraiva, who defended the deputy as being “extraordinary” and praised the “equal” attitude he took during the IL elections .
“He has been an extraordinary parliamentary leader, he was the founder of the party and what the party is today, he owes a lot. (…) He himself has said that he [o lugar] available – because it is part of the rules of this game – but I am confident that he is available to continue and I really hope so because he has been an excellent parliamentary leader,” he stressed.
Deputy Rui Rocha was elected today as IL’s new president, with the motion submitted to the executive committee by his list receiving 51.7% of the vote.
João Cotrim Figueiredo’s succession was presented on more than one list for the first time in the party’s history, and deputies and leaders Rui Rocha and Carla Castro and National Councilor José Cardoso challenged the leadership at the IL’s VII National Convention, which ends today in Lisbon.
According to the convention’s statutes, “The motion that obtains a simple majority of votes shall be approved as a Global Strategy Motion by the National Convention” and “the list proposing the most voted Global Strategy Motion shall be elected as the Executive Committee”.
Source: DN
