IL confirms Joao Cotrima Figueiredo as head of list for European elections

This Sunday, the Liberal Initiative confirmed the name of its former president João Cotrim Figueiredo as head of the party list for the European elections in June, with 47 votes in favor and two abstentions.

In a statement, IL announced that Joao Cotrim Figueiredo joins party vice-president Ana Martins at number two on the list, with third place going to António Costa Amaral, an engineer and “responsible for several party programs and manifestos.” , fourth place for Professor Paulo Alcarva and fifth for independent Ines Gregorio.

The names were confirmed this Sunday at a meeting of the IL National Council, which took place at a hotel in Porto.

Cotrim Figueiredo had 47 votes in favor, two abstentions and zero votes against.

The meeting also approved the guiding principles of IL’s European Manifesto, a document “to be created with the participation of members of the entire party” and which “will be based on the idea that Europe is the privileged space of freedom in the world.” – says a message sent to the Lusa agency.

“Freedom, which for IS is the most important condition for the development of society, economic growth and, above all, the self-realization of people. Therefore, it is important not to take freedom for granted. IL will fight to deepen freedom in four dimensions: individual, political, economic and social,” he adds.

In the opening speech of the National Council, IL President Rui Rocha, during the speech stage dedicated to the European elections, praised the head of the IL list, João Cotrim Figueiredo, who was in the front row of the hall. .

Rui Rocha also called on the Portuguese to take part in the election event, which he considers “very important”, given that, in his words, “the role of Europe is the role of freedom”, but “there are many people outside Europe and inside Europe who want to appropriate democracy in order to pervert its rules and pursue completely illiberal policies.”

“These European elections are very important. I want to make a clear call to the Portuguese to get involved. You can do this on June 2 by registering in any part of the country, and on June 9 at any polling station in the country.” , He said.

Earlier, in a moment dedicated to measures to combat corruption, Rui Rocha presented the ideas that he intends to propose to the Minister of Justice Rita Yudice.

“If you want to fight corruption, let’s be serious. Let’s eliminate this duplication and tripling. Let’s simplify and reduce bureaucracy,” said Rui Rocha, listing the current organizations that have responsibilities in the fight against corruption and protection of creation. just one entity “with the means and powers to combat corruption.”

IL will also propose that appointments to regulatory and senior administrative positions be made through international competition and wants administrative courts to move much faster.

“One of the ideas that leads to corruption is the idea that the courts do not work and there is a temptation to resolve issues outside of justice. Today, it takes an average of 850 days to issue a decision in the first instance. They need to meet the European Union average and do it in 400 days,” he explained.

In a statement issued subsequently, IL emphasized that “it will deepen the fight against corruption and promote transparency in the EU, with particular attention to the process of distributing European funds.”