Posters have prompted “more than ten complaints”
Lisbon City Council has 24 hours to remove posters that violate electoral law.
The posters have prompted “more than ten complaints” to the National Electoral Commission, which considers that the council has violated the ban on institutional advertising during the electoral period.
The offending publicity (on the subject of housing) “goes beyond mere useful information for the recipients” and violates the duties of neutrality and impartiality to which the municipality is subject, says the commission.
In a response, the council has argued that the images were intended “to publicise activities carried out by municipal services” and that, for this reason, the “campaign should not be considered institutional or political advertising”.
But the CNE is adamant: this kind of campaign cannot take place during an election period.
What is curious about this story is that no news source so far has carried an image of the offending posters.
Observador has explained they carry messages, namely: ‘Lisbon – Housing – Rent support + 1000 families have already received’; ‘Lisbon – Housing – 700 vacant dwellings rehabilitated’”
The online says it has contacted the municipality to see if it intends to remove the posters, “but has not yet received a response. However, Observador has learned that, so far, the services responsible for removing the posters have not received any indications”.
Social media commentary has suggested that the “more than a ten complaints” will almost certainly have come from left wingers, who are “getting nervous” as polling day approaches.
“Imagine if the mayor was Socialist… would there be a problem then in informing the population on the good results? Of course there wouldn’t! When it comes from the left, it is information, when it comes from the right it is “an electoral campaign”. Typical! Oh, and the caretaker government visiting building works underway, and inaugurating them… that is not campaigning!?!”
Source: SIC Notícias/ Observador/ Facebook
