Manuela Ferreira Leite will be the representative of Marco Almeida's candidacy in the local elections

Former Social Democrat president Manuela Ferreira Leite will be the representative of Marco Almeida's candidacy for the presidency of the Sintra Municipal Council, in the next local elections.

“The former leader of the PSD joins the candidacy recognizing Marco Almeida's connection to Sintra and because she has confidence in his ability and experience”, announced the candidacy Sempre com os Sintrenses'.

Manuela Ferreira Leite is an “unavoidable figure in Portuguese public life, recognised for her commitment and sense of responsibility” and who is now joining “a project that she considers solid, led by someone with proven experience in the municipality”, reads the statement from Marco Almeida’s candidacy.

“I accepted the position because I recognize Marco Almeida as an experienced mayor, with proven experience and a good strategy for the municipality. At a time when politics demands ambition and commitment to the common good, it is with conviction that I join a project that puts the people of Sintra first”, stated Manuela Ferreira Leite, quoted in the same note.

Marco Almeida stresses that the former Minister of Education, under Cavaco Silva, and of Finance, under Durão Barroso, “is a national reference” and “having her as a representative is an honour and an added responsibility”.

This will be the third time that Marco Almeida has run for president of the Sintra City Council, after having been elected in 2001 on the PSD list led by Fernando Seara, serving as vice-president for 12 years.

In the 2013 elections, he headed an independent list, in a candidacy against the PSD, was elected councilor and left the party in February 2014. In the following elections, in 2017, he was once again head of the list for the Sintra Chamber, this time as an independent in a coalition that brought together PSD, CDS-PP, PPM and MPT, but lost again to Basílio Horta's socialist list.