Socialist Party councillor Alexandra Leitão is facing growing political isolation within the Lisbon party branch as local leaders look toward the 2029 municipal elections.
Local party structures in the Portuguese capital are already searching for alternative candidates to challenge Mayor Carlos Moedas, with former economy minister Pedro Siza Vieira emerging as the preferred choice.
A local party official told the magazine Sábado that while Leitão has indicated a desire to run again in 2029, she remains isolated in that ambition. Siza Vieira had been considered for the nomination in the previous municipal campaign, but Pedro Nuno Santos, who was leading the Socialist Party at the time, chose Leitão instead.
Other potential contenders favoured by local party members include Duarte Cordeiro, a former environment minister under Prime Minister António Costa, and André Moz Caldas, the current Socialist Party spokesperson. The Socialist Party, one of Portugal's main political forces, holds key seats on the Lisbon municipal council, which serves as the capital's local executive government.
Dispute over general strike action
Tensions between Leitão and the local party structure follow reports surrounding her conduct during a general strike on June 3. According to backstage accounts reported by Sábado, Leitão forced her cabinet team to strike as a block in response to a council meeting scheduled for that day by Mayor Carlos Moedas.
Leitão rejected the allegation, telling Sábado that the claim was totally false. She explained that she had only excused cabinet advisors with public employment contracts from supporting the council meeting so they could exercise their right to strike if they chose to do so.
The friction comes amid ongoing political clashes between opposition Socialist councillors and Moedas, who leads a centre-right municipal administration. In municipal debates, Leitão has accused Moedas of granting tax breaks and concessions to real estate developers while reducing financial support for school meals across Lisbon.
Parliamentary scrutiny and party background
Leitão has also faced external political pressure following controversy over her use of a vehicle belonging to public broadcaster RTP, an issue that ultimately reached the Portuguese Parliament for review. RTP operates as Portugal's state-owned radio and television network.
Both Siza Vieira and Cordeiro previously served in senior cabinet positions under former Socialist Prime Minister António Costa. As local branches assess their strategy for 2029, the party leadership faces decisions over whether to retain Leitão or select a new candidate for the Lisbon mayoralty.
