Socialists Win Local Elections in Portugal Despite Surprise Defeat in Lisbon

Portugal's ruling Socialists won yesterday's local elections, but surprisingly lost in Lisbon. This is shown by the results collected by almost all constituencies, AFP reported.

Of the country's 308 municipalities, Prime Minister Antonio Costa's camp garnered 34.4 per cent of the vote and won in at least 147 municipalities, compared to 30.8 per cent of the vote and 108 municipalities for the center-right opposition.

In Lisbon, however, the right-wing coalition led by former EU Commissioner Carlos Moedas, contrary to all forecasts, defeated incumbent Socialist Mayor Fernando Medina by 35.8 per cent against 31.7 per cent of the vote.

In the large northern city of Porto, independent Rui Moreira was re-elected by a wide margin, according to opinion polls.

The election took place in an atmosphere generally favorable to the government of Antonio Costa, who has just announced that he will lift almost all sanitary restrictions that are still in force as of Thursday.

The prime minister personally put a lot of effort into the election campaign, vowing to get the country's pandemic economy back on its feet through investment projects funded by the European Recovery Plan.

/BTA