2025 Porto local election

Portuguese municipal election From Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia

The 2025 Porto local election was held on 12 October 2025 to elect the members for Porto City Council, Porto Municipal Assembly and the city's 7 parish assemblies.

Quick facts All 13 Councillors in the Porto City Council 7 seats needed for a majority, Turnout ...
2025 Porto local elections
← 2021
12 October 2025
2029 →
All 13 Councillors in the Porto City Council
7 seats needed for a majority
Opinion polls
Turnout57.0% Increase 8.2 pp
  First party Second party
 
Leader Pedro Duarte Manuel Pizarro
Party PSD PS
Alliance Porto is us[a]
Last election 2 seats, 17.2% 3 seats, 18.0%
Seats won 6 6
Seat change Increase 4 Increase 3
Popular vote 42,984 40,863
Percentage 37.4% 35.5%
Swing Increase 20.2 pp Increase 17.4 pp
  Third party Fourth party
 
Leader Miguel Corte-Real Filipe Araújo
Party CH Independent
Alliance Do it as Porto
Last election 0 seats, 3.0% 6 seats, 40.7%
Seats won 1 0
Seat change Increase 1 Decrease 6
Popular vote 9,473 5,845
Percentage 8.2% 5.1%
Swing Increase 5.2 pp Decrease 35.6 pp
Mayor before election

Rui Moreira
Independent

 Elected mayor

Pedro Duarte
PSD

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This election was expected to be extremely competitive after the 3 mandates of the liberal-backed Independent Rui Moreira, which was barred from running for a 4th term, with both the Socialists and Social Democrats hoping to win the second major city in Portugal,[1] with Moreira's independent movement presenting then deputy mayor Filipe Araújo as a candidate,[2] despite not having the endorsement of Rui Moreira himself.[3]

The Socialist Party chose former Health minister Manuel Pizarro as their candidate, while the Social Democratic Party formed a coalition with the CDS – People's Party and the Liberal Initiative with former minister of Parliament Affairs Pedro Duarte as their candidate.[4]

The final result was very close, with the PSD/CDS/IL candidate, Pedro Duarte, prevailing over the PS by just 2,000 votes. Manuel Pizarro (PS) failed in his 3rd attempt to become mayor of Porto, leading the Socialists to another defeat; the last time the PS won a local election in Porto was 1997.[5] Chega gathered 8.5% of the votes and elected one councillor, while CDU failed to win representation for Porto city council for the first time ever. Deputy mayor Filipe Araújo had a very poor result, just 5% and failed to be elected to council, while the Left Bloc also lost its sole councillor, and polled at just 1.8%.[6] Turnout increased considerably in this election, with 57% of voters casting a ballot, the highest share since 1993.

Background

In the 2021 election, Rui Moreira, mayor since 2013, won a third term as Mayor of Porto, winning 40.7% of the votes and 6 seats, losing his majority in the city council. The Socialist candidate, Tiago Barbosa Ribeiro, won 18.0% of the vote and 3 seats, while the Social Democratic candidate, Vladimiro Feliz, won 17.2% of the votes and 2 seats.[7]

The Unitary Democratic Coalition, led by Ilda Figueiredo, won 7.5% of the votes and 1 seat, while the Left Bloc, which presented Sérgio Aires as a candidate for mayor, gained a seat in the City Council, for the first time in its history, achieving 6.3% of the votes.[8]

Candidates selection

After 12 years of Independent Rui Moreira as Mayor, the two major parties, the Socialist Party and the Social Democratic Party, sought to retake Porto.[9]

On the right, Filipe Araújo, the leader of Rui Moreira's independent movement and Deputy Mayor, sought to run as an independent,[10] despite pressures from the PSD who wanted to prevent a split among the right.[11] The PSD waited for Minister of Parliamentary Affairs Pedro Duarte to be the party's candidate for Mayor, despite having other options such as MP Miguel Guimarães,[12] while initiating talks with CDS–PP and the Liberal Initiative for a coalition.[13]

In April 2025, Pedro Duarte confirmed his intention to run for Mayor with a PSD/CDS/IL coalition.[14] Meanwhile, Filipe Araújo decided to still run, despite not having the endorsement of Rui Moreira.[15]

On the left, the PS had several potential candidates, such as former minister and former Mayor of Baião José Luís Carneiro,[16] executive director of the National Healthcare Service Fernando Araújo[17] and former minister of Health and candidate for mayor in 2013 and 2017 Manuel Pizarro. Pizarro was eventually chosen as the candidate.[18]

Electoral system

Each party or coalition must present a list of candidates. The winner of the most voted list for the municipal council is automatically elected mayor, similar to first-past-the-post (FPTP). The lists are closed and the seats in each municipality are apportioned according to the D'Hondt method. Unlike in national legislative elections, independent lists are allowed to run.[19][20]

Parties and candidates

Declared

More information Party/Coalition, Political position ...
Party/Coalition Political
position		 Candidate 2021 result Ref.
Votes (%) Seats
FA Filipe Araújo: Do it as Porto[b]
Filipe Araújo: Fazer à Porto		 Centre-right
to right-wing		 Filipe Araújo [pt] 40.7%
6 / 13
 [2]
PS Socialist Party[c]
Partido Socialista		 Centre-left Manuel Pizarro 18.0%
3 / 13
 [18]
OPSN Porto is us
O Porto somos nós PSD, IL, CDS–PP		 Centre-right
to right-wing		 Pedro Duarte 17.2%
2 / 13
 [14][4]
CDU Unitary Democratic Coalition
Coligação Democrática Unitária PCP, PEV		 Left-wing
to far-left		 Diana Ferreira 7.5%
1 / 13
 [21]
BE Left Bloc
Bloco de Esquerda		 Left-wing
to far-left		 Sérgio Aires 6.3%
1 / 13
 [22]
CH Enough!
Chega!		 Far-right Miguel Corte-Real 3.0%
0 / 13
 [23]
L FREE
LIVRE		 Left-wing Hélder Sousa 0.5%
0 / 13
 [24]
VP Volt Portugal
Volt Portugal		 Centre
to centre-left		 Guilherme Jorge 0.4%
0 / 13
 [25]
NC Porto First – Nuno Cardoso
Porto Primeiro – Nuno Cardoso NC, PPM		 Centre
to centre-right		 Nuno Cardoso [pt] 0.2%
0 / 13
 [26][27]
ADN National Democratic Alternative
Alternativa Democrática Nacional		 Far-right Frederico Duarte Carvalho N/a N/a [28]
PLS Liberal Social Party
Partido Liberal Social		 Centre Luís Tinoco Azevedo N/a N/a [29]
PTP Portuguese Labour Party
Partido Trabalhista Português		 Left-wing Maria Amélia Costa N/a N/a [29]
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Withdrew

More information Party/Coalition, Political position ...
Party/Coalition Political
position		 Candidate 2021 result Ref.
Votes (%) Seats
RIR React, Include, Recycle
Reagir, Incluir, Reciclar		 Centre Vitorino Silva N/a N/a [30][31]
ND New Right
Nova Direita		 Right-wing Aníbal Pinto N/a N/a [32][33]
AA Porto with Porto
Porto com Porto		 Centre António Araújo N/a N/a [34][35]
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Campaign period

Party slogans

More information Party or alliance, Original slogan ...
Party or alliance Original slogan English translation Refs
FA « Fazer à Porto » "Do it as Porto" [36]
PS « À moda do Porto » "Porto style" [37]
OPSN « O Porto somos nós » "Porto is us" [38]
CDU « Porto para todos » "Porto for all" [39]
BE « Estamos aqui » "We are here" [40]
CH « O Miguel Chega para resolver » "Miguel arrives to solve" [41]
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Candidates' debates

More information Date, Organisers ...
2025 Porto local election debates
Date Organisers Moderator(s)     P  Present[d]    NI  Not invited   I  Invited    A  Absent invitee 
FA
Araújo		 PS
Pizarro		 OPSN
Duarte		 CDU
Ferreira		 BE
Aires		 CH
Côrte-Real		 Refs
21 Sep 2025 SIC Notícias Nelma Serpa Pinto NI P P P P P [42]
26 Sep 2025 Rádio Observador Carla Jorge de Carvalho
Miguel Viterbo Dias		 P P P P P P [43]
27 Sep 2025 CNN Portugal João Póvoa Marinheiro P P P P P P [44]
30 Sep 2025 RTP1 Carlos Daniel P P P P P P [45]
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Opinion polling

  Exit poll

More information Polling firm/Link, Fieldwork date ...
Polling firm/Link Fieldwork date Sample size FA OPSN PS CDU BE CH L NC
PPM		 O Lead
IL CDS PSD
2025 local election 12 Oct 2025 N/a 5.1
0		 37.4
6		 35.5
6		 3.9
0		 1.8
0		 8.2
1		 3.4
0		 1.9
0		 2.8
0		 1.9
CESOP–UCP 12 Oct 2025 6,124 4–6
0/1		 36–40
5/7		 33–37
5/7		 4–6
0/1		 1–3
0		 6–9
1		 3–5
0		 1–3
0		 2–7
0		 3
ICS/ISCTE/Pitagórica 12 Oct 2025 7,532 3.8–6.8
0/1		 34.2–39.4
5/7		 32.0–37.2
5/7		 2.7–5.5
0/1		 1.1–3.1
0/1		 6.8–10.2
0/2		 1.1–3.1
0/1		 1.4–3.4
0/1		 2.2
Intercampus 12 Oct 2025 5,890 3.5–7.5
0/1		 37.0–41.0
6/8		 30.8–34.8
4/6		 2.5–6.5
0/1		 0.1–4.1
0/1		 6.2–10.2
0/2		 1.3–5.3
0/1		 2.7–6.7 6.2
Pitagórica 29 Sep–4 Oct 2025 625 7.0
1		 33.1
6		 32.9
5		 3.3
0		 2.9
0		 10.4
1		 3.9
0		 3.3
0		 3.2
0		 0.2
CESOP–UCP 27–28 Sep 2025 1,163 6
0/1		 32
4/6		 29
4/6		 5
0/1		 3
0		 10
1/2		 6
0/1		 4
0		 5
0		 3
ICS/ISCTE 5–16 Sep 2025 805 3
0		 34
6		 37
6		 4
0		 3
0		 10
1		 3
0		 2
0		 4
0		 3
ICS/ISCTE 17 Jun–2 Jul 2025 805 5
0		 33
5		 36
6		 4
0		 3
0		 12
2		 1
0		 2
0		 4
0		 3
2025 Legislative election 18 May 2025 N/a N/a 8.1
(1)		 35.1[e]
(5)		 23.7
(4)		 3.6
(0)		 2.9
(0)		 14.1
(2)		 7.2
(1)		 N/a 5.2
(0)		 11.4
2024 EP election 9 Jun 2024 N/a N/a 12.7
(2)		 31.2[e]
(4)		 27.6
(4)		 4.4
(0)		 6.6
(1)		 6.6
(1)		 6.5
(1)		 N/a 4.4
(0)		 3.6
2024 Legislative election 10 Mar 2024 N/a N/a 6.8
(1)		 34.3[e]
(6)		 28.3
(4)		 3.4
(0)		 5.7
(1)		 10.0
(1)		 5.6
(0)		 N/a 5.9
(0)		 6.0
2022 Legislative election 30 Jan 2022 N/a N/a 7.8
(1)		 2.0
(0)		 34.7
(5)		 35.1
(6)		 4.7
(0)		 6.0
(1)		 3.3
(0)		 2.2
(0)		 N/a 4.2
(0)		 0.4
2021 local election 26 Sep 2021 N/a 40.7
6		 17.2
2		 18.0
3		 7.5
1		 6.3
1		 3.0
0		 0.5
0		 0.2
0		 6.6
0		 22.7
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Results

Municipal Council

More information Parties, Votes ...
Summary of the 12 October 2025 Porto City Council elections results
6
6
1
Parties Votes % ±pp swing Councillors
Total ±
Social Democratic / People's / Liberal Initiative 42,98437.36Increase20.26Increase4
Socialist 40,86335.52Increase17.46Increase3
CHEGA 9,4738.23Increase5.21Increase1
Filipe Araújo: Do it as Porto 5,8455.08Decrease35.60Decrease6
Unitary Democratic Coalition 4,5153.92Decrease3.60Decrease1
LIVRE 3,8253.32Increase2.80Steady0
We, the Citizens! / People's Monarchist 2,1921.91N/a0N/a
Left Bloc 2,0751.80Decrease4.40Decrease1
National Democratic Alternative 3630.32N/a0N/a
Liberal Social 2910.25N/a0N/a
Volt Portugal 2220.19N/a0N/a
Labour 620.05N/a0N/a
Total valid 112,710 97.96 Increase1.4 13 Steady0
Blank ballots 1,4391.25Decrease1.0
Invalid ballots 9040.79Decrease0.4
Total 115,053 100.00
Registered voters/turnout 201,96856.97Increase8.2
Source:[46]
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Municipal Assembly

More information Parties, Votes ...
Summary of the 12 October 2025 Porto Municipal Assembly elections
results
1
2
2
13
15
2
4
Parties Votes % ±pp swing Seats
Total ±
Social Democratic / People's / Liberal Initiative 41,89236.41Increase17.815Increase5
Socialist 35,21130.60Increase11.413Increase3
CHEGA 10,8739.45Increase6.14Increase3
LIVRE 6,3615.53Increase4.92Increase2
Filipe Araújo: Do it as Porto 6,1395.34Decrease29.22Decrease13
Unitary Democratic Coalition 5,9285.15Decrease3.22Decrease1
Left Bloc 2,9252.54Decrease5.01Decrease2
We, the Citizens! / People's Monarchist 2,1491.87N/a0N/a
National Democratic Alternative 3880.34N/a0N/a
Liberal Social 3520.31N/a0N/a
Volt Portugal 2270.20N/a0N/a
Total valid 112,445 97.73 Increase1.2 39 Steady0
Blank ballots 1,6131.40Decrease0.9
Invalid ballots 1,0020.87Decrease0.3
Total 115,060 100.00
Registered voters/turnout 201,96856.97Increase8.2
Source:[46]
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Parish Assemblies

More information Parish, % ...
Results of the 12 October 2025 Porto Parish Assembly elections
Parish%S%S%S%S%S%S%S Total
S
OPSN PS CH FA L CDU BE
Aldoar, Foz do Douro e Nevogilde 51.0 11 22.0 5 9.0 2 6.5 1 3.5 - 2.9 - 1.5 - 19
Bonfim 33.8 8 27.5 6 8.7 2 6.5 1 7.1 1 7.7 1 3.8 - 19
Campanhã 23.5 5 41.0 10 14.0 3 3.6 - 3.5 - 5.8 1 1.9 - 19
Cedofeita, Santo Ildefonso, Sé, Miragaia, São Nicolau e Vitória 30.8 7 31.9 7 6.5 1 5.2 1 8.3 1 7.0 1 4.3 1 19
Lordelo do Ouro e Massarelos 40.8 9 28.9 6 8.9 1 4.6 1 5.1 1 5.0 1 1.8 - 19
Paranhos 39.8 9 29.6 6 8.4 1 4.3 1 5.7 1 5.2 1 3.1 - 19
Ramalde 40.8 9 30.0 6 9.4 2 5.1 1 4.5 1 3.9 - 1.8 - 19
Total 37.6 58 30.1 46 9.2 12 5.4 6 5.3 5 5.2 5 2.6 1 133
Source:[47]
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Aftermath

Despite winning the same number of councillors as the PS, Pedro Duarte "gained" an absolute majority after managing to get one of the councillors elected by the PS, Jorge Sobrado, to be part of his local government.[48] Pedro Duarte was sworn in as mayor of Porto, under a majority capacity, on 5 November 2025.[49]

Notes

  1. [a]
    Coalition with PSD, IL and CDS–PP.
  2. [b]
    Supported by People-Animals-Nature (PAN).
  3. [c]
    Supported by React, Include, Recycle (RIR).
  4. [d]
    Denotes a main invitee attending the event.
  5. [e]
    PSD and CDS ran in a coalition, the Democratic Alliance (AD).

References

External links

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