Chega leader hopes IL ‘will not evade a right-wing government decision’

The Chega leader this Monday welcomed the new President of the Liberal Initiative (IL) Rui Rocha and called on the party to adopt a “right-wing party identity” and not shy away “from the decision of the government.”

At a press conference at the party’s headquarters in Lisbon, Andre Ventura greeted Rui Rocha, who was elected IL leader on Sunday, saying they “have a great relationship” and said he hoped to “keep going like this.”

“We hope that the Liberal Initiative can, after debates and internal struggles, be able to establish itself as a party on the right of the parliamentary spectrum, be able to accept this right-wing party identity and not shy away from the government’s right-wing decision now that the polls show, with clear numbers, a right-wing majority in voting intentions Portuguese,” he said, indicating “this is a challenge” that he hopes IL “knows how to take on with the new president.”

The Chega leader also left the floor to outgoing leader João Cotrim de Figueiredo: “I would also like to personally welcome Deputy João Cotrim de Figueiredo, with whom I have maintained very warm relations since the days of sole deputy and to whom we wish the greatest personal and political happiness.”

On Sunday, the last day of the VII National Congress of the IL, which was held at the Lisbon Congress Center, Deputy Rui Rocha was elected as the new president of the party, and the proposal submitted by his list to the executive committee reached 51.7%. votes.

João Cotrim Figueiredo’s succession was contested between leaders Rui Rocha and Carla Castro and national council member José Cardoso in an election in which, for the first time in the party’s history, more than one list was put forward to vote.