In the National Political Commission in the aftermath of the local elections, José Luís Carneiro valued the PS’s ability to avoid erosion, highlighting the nine district capitals and the 128 victories in municipalities.
Pedro Nuno Santos, who was an important figure in the first contacts for several coalitions across the territory to be formed, returned to social media, criticizing the statements made by several activists, at the National Political Commission, that left-wing alliances harmed the municipal result.
“Within the PS it is also believed that to be in power the PS has to look more like the right. But was the PS’s problem the understanding on the left? Or, on the contrary, was the PSD’s life insurance, precisely, the lack of understanding on the left? Contrary to what has been said, it was not the understandings on the left that harmed the PS. It is worth remembering that we were only affiliated in eight municipalities [foram 13, mais cinco do que em 2021]”, began the former secretary general, then addressing it case by case.
“If the PCP had agreed to join the coalition, the President in Lisbon would, today, be Alexandra Leitão (and the vice-president, João Ferreira). The CDU had more than 26 thousand votes and we lost by 20 thousand. Does anyone believe that any of those who voted for the coalition led by Alexandra Leitão would stop doing so if João Ferreira joined her? In Porto, the PS lost by less than 2000 votes. An alliance with Livre was enough for us to have Manuel Pizarro President, instead of Pedro Duarte. Does anyone think we would lose votes because of Livre? In Braga, the PS lost by around 200 votes. An alliance with any of the three parties on the left was enough for the PS to win. In Sintra, the PS lost by less than 4000 votes, only the PCP had more than 7000. In Gaia, the PS lost by 7000 votes, on our left more than ten thousand citizens voted”, he explains, recognizing that in some cases the PS did not want coalitions, in others “the others did not.”
“The PS’s problem was not the understandings on the left, it was, at most, the lack of them. Let’s not make life any easier for the right, which won many chambers for having formed a coalition with other parties”, concludes Pedro Nuno Santos.
The former general secretary of the PS therefore summarizes what the DN said. Not only the frustration with the PCP for having preferred to maintain local races as CDU, but also that there is internal debate regarding coalition strategies. This could also be a differentiating point between the leadership of Carneiro and Pedro Nuno.
André Rijo, municipal coordinator, recognized the internal debate to be carried out in the near future. “Representation is small because there were 13 coalitions in 306 candidacies. It is true that only two were successful [Coimbra e Felgueiras]. There is no pre-conception regarding coalition policies, but I do not believe that we will double the coalition numbers in 2029”, he warned, already aware of José Luís Carneiro’s thinking and how the PS brand, on its own, was notoriously strong to win in Faro, Évora, Viseu and Bragança, for example.
It should also be remembered that Pedro Nuno Santos has been very active on his social networks in recent weeks. He suspended his mandate in Parliament and therefore will not vote on the 2026 State Budget, when there is an indication for the socialist bench to vote with abstention.