Luís Marques Mendes insists presidency needs “someone with political experience”
Former PSD leader Luís Marques Mendes has formally presented his bid for the country’s presidency, almost a year ahead of the elections – and already ‘on the attack’.
With the ‘favourite’ for these looming elections being touted by polls as former ‘vaccine czar’ and former Chief of Staff of the Navy Admiral Henrique Gouveia e Melo, Marques Mendes warned that current times do not lend themselves to “adventures, experimentalism or shots in the dark”.
“The office of President of the Republic is an eminently political office,” he told his audience. “As such, it should be held by those with political experience. There is no such thing as a presidency without politics.”
Marques Mendes has always been seen as a voice of fairness, of reason – a man who measures on the political landscape. But the political landscape today has seen far more respectable times: just this week, we have politicians from both main parties cited for cronyism and corruption; regional/ local politicians in drink-driving and child prostitution shocks; last week, it was a parliamentary member seemingly guilty of the theft of random victims’ airport luggage. There is nothing apparently ‘noble’ in Portuguese politics at the moment, and thus emphasising politics as a pre-requisite for maintaining a status quo could be said to be a tad risky.
The other less than secure aspect of the attack was the fact that Marques Mendes was seemingly targeting a man who has not even yet declared his intention to run for Portugal’s presidency.
Gouveia e Melo may well declare his intentions in the coming days or weeks, but he could also use Marques Mendes’ criticism to his advantage: ‘with so many political disgraces, perhaps it is time for change?’
The undeniable advantage for Luís Marques Mendes yesterday in Fafe however was that he was preaching to the converted: “the event took place in the auditorium of a residential home named after his father, António Marques Mendes”, remarks Lusa. There was capacity for around 200 people, “with many left standing”.
Lusa adds that Marques Mendes has not just been a PSD leader in his long and reputable past, he has been an MP, a mayor, a minister in four governments, and he is an experienced member of the Council of State – the political body consulted on many matters by the President of the Republic.
In January 2026 (when these elections will finally be taking place), his opinion is that “the question is what kind of politics should guide the presidency.
“With a parliament that is more polarised, divided and fragmented than ever before” (and delivering regular ‘shocks’ in terms of MPs’ behaviour) two conditions are required of the head of state”, Marques Mendes told his audience.
They “do not accept politics without principles, nor do they recommend politics without experience.”
