2025 Lisbon local election

Main article: 2025 Portuguese local elections

2025 Lisbon local elections

←  2021 12 October 2025
All 17 Councillors in the Lisbon City Council 9 seats needed for a majority
Opinion polls
Turnout	57.2% 6.3 pp
First party Second party   Leader Carlos Moedas Alexandra Leitão Party PSD PS Alliance For You, Lisbon [a] Live Lisbon [b] Last election 7 seats, 38.5% [c] 8 seats, 42.2% [d] Seats won 8 6 Seat change 1 2 Popular vote 110,586 90,068 Percentage 41.7% 34.0% Swing 3.2 pp 8.2 pp   Third party Fourth party   Leader Bruno Mascarenhas João Ferreira Party CH PCP Alliance CDU Last election 0 seats, 4.4% 2 seats, 10.5% Seats won 2 1 Seat change 2 1 Popular vote 26,755 26,752 Percentage 10.1% 10.1% Swing 5.7 pp 0.4 pp
Mayor before election Carlos Moedas PSD Elected Mayor Carlos Moedas PSD

The 2025 Lisbon local election was held on 12 October 2025 to elect the members for Lisbon City Council, Lisbon Municipal Assembly and the city's 24 parish assemblies.

Carlos Moedas, from the Social Democratic Party, ran for a second term as mayor of Lisbon, ^[1] in coalition with CDS – People's Party and also with the Liberal Initiative, ^[2] while the Socialist Party, led by Alexandra Leitão, led a left-wing coalition alongside the Left Bloc, LIVRE and People Animals Nature in order to defeat the center-right coalition. ^{[3] [4] [5]} The Unitary Democratic Coalition (CDU) refused to be included in the PS-led coalition, ^[6] and presented, for the fourth consecutive time, João Ferreira as candidate for mayor. ^[7] Chega presented local Lisbon assembly member Bruno Mascarenhas as its mayoral candidate. ^[8]

Despite predictions of a razor-thin contest, ^[9] Carlos Moedas was re-elected for a second term as Lisbon mayor, gathering nearly 42% of the votes, albeit without a majority, while Alexandra Leitão and her left-wing coalition fell well behind, polling at just bellow 34%. ^[10] Chega and CDU nearly tied in terms of votes, just 11 votes between them, but Chega was able to elect 2 councillors, while CDU just one, losing one compared with 2021. Turnout increased to the highest level since 1985, with 57.2% of voters casting a ballot.

Due to the small margin of votes between CHEGA and CDU, which was updated to just a 3-vote difference after the final verfication of ballots, and alleged irregularities in some ballots and precincts, CDU has filed an appeal to the Constitutional Court to rule on the final election result. ^[11]

Background

The 2021 Lisbon local election was the biggest surprise of that year's nationwide local elections as Carlos Moedas, the candidate of the centre-right coalition led by the Social Democratic Party, managed to be elected Mayor of Lisbon and put an end to 14 years of Socialist rule. ^[12] Against all expectations, the centre-right coalition managed to retake the capital by winning 34.3 percent of the votes and 7 councillors. The Socialist Party, in coalition with LIVRE, led by incumbent Mayor Fernando Medina, narrowly lost, achieving 33.3% of the votes and 7 councillors.

Meanwhile, the Unitary Democratic Coalition, led for the third time by João Ferreira, had a slight increase in its vote share to 10.5% of the votes and maintained its 2 councillors, while the Left Bloc, led by Beatriz Gomes Dias, won 6.2% of the votes and kept their sole seat. Despite results above 4% of the votes, newcomers far-right Chega and the Liberal Initiative failed to win a single seat in the municipal council, while the People Animals Nature party polled at just 2.7% of the votes and also didn't elect any seats.

Despite his victory, Carlos Moedas didn't achieved an absolute majority in either the city council or the municipal assembly, having to seek understandings and deals with the other parties represented in the City Council in order to govern. ^[13]

Electoral system

Each party or coalition must present a list of candidates. The winner of the most voted list for the municipal council is automatically elected mayor, similar to first-past-the-post (FPTP). The lists are closed and the seats in each municipality are apportioned according to the D'Hondt method. Unlike in national legislative elections, independent lists are allowed to run. ^{[14] [15]}

Parties and candidates

Party/Coalition					Political position	Candidate	2021 result		Ref.
							Votes (%)	Seats
	PTL For You, Lisbon (Por ti, Lisboa)		PPD/PSD	Social Democratic Party Partido Social Democrata	Centre-right	Carlos Moedas	34.3%	4 / 17	[16] [2] [1]
			CDS–PP	CDS – People's Party CDS – Partido Popular	Centre-right to right-wing			3 / 17
			IL	Liberal Initiative Iniciativa Liberal	Centre-right to right-wing		4.2%	0 / 17
	VL To Live Lisbon (Viver Lisboa)		PS	Socialist Party Partido Socialista	Centre-left	Alexandra Leitão	33.3%	6 / 17	[17] [3]
			L	FREE LIVRE	Center-left to left-wing			1 / 17
			BE	Left Bloc Bloco de Esquerda	Left-wing		6.2%	1 / 17
			PAN	People Animals Nature Pessoas-Animais-Natureza	Syncretic		2.7%	0 / 17
	CDU	Unitary Democratic Coalition Coligação Democrática Unitária PCP, PEV			Left-wing to far-left	João Ferreira	10.5%	2 / 17	[7]
	CH	Enough! Chega!			Far-right	Bruno Mascarenhas	4.4%	0 / 17	[8]
	VP	Volt Portugal Volt Portugal			Centre to centre-left	José Almeida	0.4%	0 / 17	[18]
	ADN	National Democratic Alternative Alternativa Democrática Nacional			Far-right	Adelaide Ferreira	0.1% [e]	0 / 17	[19]
	ND	New Right Nova Direita			Right-wing	Ossanda Liber	—	—	[20]
	DA	Alliance Democratic Democrática Aliança PPM, PTP			Centre-right	Tomaz Ponce Dentinho	—	—	[21]
	RIR	React, Include, Recycle Reagir, Incluir, Reciclar,			Syncretic	Luís Mendes	—	—	[22]

Campaign period

Issues

Just five weeks before election day, a funicular derailed in the Glória elevator killing 16 people, and injuring 23 others. ^[23] The question of maintenance, and the quality of it, is being investigated as it was made by a private outsourcing company. ^[24] Carlos Moedas faced calls to resign and questions were raised on how much this would impact the outcome of the election, ^[25] as also many of the decisions regarding maintenance of public transportation were made during the Socialist Party (PS) terms between 2007 and 2021. ^[26]

Party slogans

Party or alliance		Original slogan	English translation	Refs
	PTL	« Por Ti, Lisboa »	"For You, Lisbon"	[27]
	VL	« Viver Lisboa »	"To Live Lisbon"	[28]
	CDU	« Lisboa, cidade da nossa vida »	"Lisbon, the city of our lives"	[29]
	CH	« Defender Lisboa »	"Defend Lisbon"	[30]
	VP	« Religa-te a Lisboa »	"Reconnect with Lisbon"	[31]
	ADN	« Lisboa vai ter o papel principal »	"Lisbon will have the main role"
	ND	« Resgatar Lisboa »	"Rescue Lisbon"	[32]

Candidates' debates

2025 Lisbon local election debates
Date	Organisers	Moderator(s)	P Present [f]   NI Not invited  I Invited   A Absent invitee
			PTL Moedas	VL Leitão	CDU Ferreira	CH Mascarenhas	Refs
15 Sep 2025	SIC	Nelma Serpa Pinto	P	P	P	P	[33]
19 Sep 2025	Rádio Observador	Carla Jorge de Carvalho Miguel Viterbo Dias	P	P	P	P	[34]
23 Sep 2025	CNN Portugal	João Póvoa Marinheiro	P	P	P	P	[35]
2 Oct 2025	RTP1	Carlos Daniel	P	P	P	P	[36]

Opinion polling

  Exit poll

Polling firm/Link	Fieldwork date	Sample size	PTL			VL				CDU	CH	ADN	ND	PPM PTP	O	Lead
			PSD	CDS	IL	PS	L	BE	PAN
2025 local election	12 Oct 2025	—	41.7 8			34.0 6				10.1 1	10.1 2	0.4 0	0.3 0	0.3 0	3.1 0	7.7
CESOP–UCP	12 Oct 2025	5,658	37–42 6/9			37–42 6/9				8–11 1/2	7–10 1/2	0–1 0	0–1 0	0–1 0	1–5 0	Tie
ICS/ISCTE/ Pitagórica	12 Oct 2025	9,832	36.8–42.0 6/8			33.7–38.9 6/8				9.0– 12.4 1/3	7.7– 11.1 1/2					3.1
Intercampus	12 Oct 2025	8,700	37.9–41.9 6/8			34.8–38.8 6/8				8.9– 12.9 1/3	7.0– 11.0 0/2				1.4– 5.4	3.1
CESOP–UCP	27–29 Sep 2025	1,066	35 6/8			36 6/8				8 1/2	12 2	1 0	1 0	2 0	5 0	1
Pitagórica	23–28 Sep 2025	625	38.7 7			35.7 7				11.7 2	9.6 1	0.6 0	0.6 0	—	3.1 0	3.0
ICS/ISCTE	13–23 Sep 2025	807	36 7			35 6				6 1	16 3	2 0	1 0	—	4 0	1
ICS/ISCTE	14–27 Jul 2025	800	41 8			36 7				5 0	14 2	—	—	—	4 0	5
2025 Legislative election	18 May 2025	—	31.7 (6)		9.3 (1)	23.3 (5)	9.4 (2)	2.7 (0)	1.7 (0)	3.7 (0)	14.5 (3)	0.9 (0)	0.1 (0)	—	2.8 (0)	8.4
2024 EP election	9 Jun 2024	—	27.9 (5)		14.7 (3)	26.7 (5)	7.5 (1)	6.1 (1)	1.4 (0)	4.9 (1)	7.6 (1)	0.8 (0)	0.1 (0)	—	2.3 (0)	1.2
2024 Legislative election	10 Mar 2024	—	32.3 (7)		7.5 (1)	26.2 (5)	7.7 (1)	5.1 (1)	2.1 (0)	3.5 (0)	11.7 (2)	1.1 (0)	0.2 (0)	—	2.6 (0)	6.1
2022 Legislative election	30 Jan 2022	—	27.4 (6)	2.3 (0)	10.6 (2)	36.4 (7)	3.8 (0)	4.7 (0)	1.8 (0)	4.7 (1)	5.6 (1)	—	0.2 (0)	—	2.4 (0)	6.6
2021 local election	26 Sep 2021	—	34.3 7		4.2 0	33.3 7		6.2 1	2.7 0	10.5 2	4.4 0	0.1 0 [e]	—	—	4.3 0	1.0

Results

Municipal Council

Summary of the 12 October 2025 Lisbon City Council elections results

1 6 8 2
Parties		Votes	%	±pp swing	Councillors
					Total	±
	Social Democratic / People's / Liberal Initiative	110,586	41.69	3.2	8	1
	PS / LIVRE / BE / PAN	90,068	33.95	8.2	6	2
	CHEGA	26,780	10.10	5.7	2	2
	Unitary Democratic Coalition	26,769	10.09	0.4	1	1
	Volt Portugal	1,052	0.40	0.0	0	0
	National Democratic Alternative	994	0.37	0.3	0	0
	New Right	909	0.34	—	0	—
	People's Monarchist / Labour	895	0.34	—	0	—
	React, Include, Recycle	441	0.17	—	0	—
Total valid		258,494	97.45	0.6	17	0
Blank ballots		3,828	1.44	0.6
Invalid ballots		2,946	1.11	0.0
Total		265,268	100.00
Registered voters/turnout		463,566	57.22	6.3
Source: [37]

Municipal Assembly

Summary of the 12 October 2025 Lisbon Municipal Assembly elections
results

6 18 21 6
Parties		Votes	%	±pp swing	Seats
					Total	±
	Social Democratic / People's / Liberal Initiative	104,896	39.55	2.4	21	1
	PS / LIVRE / BE / PAN	87,162	32.86	9.1	18	4
	CHEGA	30,880	11.64	6.3	6	3
	Unitary Democratic Coalition	30,087	11.34	0.2	6	0
	Volt Portugal	1,563	0.59	0.0	0	0
	National Democratic Alternative	1,059	0.40	—	0	—
	New Right	1,055	0.40	—	0	—
	People's Monarchist / Labour	927	0.35	—	0	—
	React, Include, Recycle	554	0.21	—	0	—
	Earth	411	0.15	—	0	—
Total valid		258,594	97.50	0.8	51	0
Blank ballots		4,082	1.54	0.6
Invalid ballots		2,547	0.96	0.2
Total		265,223	100.00
Registered voters/turnout		463,566	57.21	6.3
Source: [38]

Parish Assemblies

Results of the 12 October 2025 Lisbon Parish Assembly elections

Parish	%	S	%	S	%	S	%	S	%	S	Total S
	PTL		VL		CDU		CH		IND
Ajuda	23.9	3	46.6	7	12.2	1	14.1	2			13
Alcântara	31.5	4	48.0	7	8.2	1	9.3	1			13
Alvalade	46.3	10	33.4	7	9.7	2					19
Areeiro	48.9	7	33.4	4	8.8	1	8.3	1			13
Arroios	33.3	7	42.3	8	11.7	2	9.6	2			19
Avenidas Novas	50.3	11	28.3	6	7.9	1	9.0	1			19
Beato	26.3	4	38.2	5	13.8	2	17.6	2			13
Belém	57.6	8	26.7	4	7.1	1					13
Benfica	26.9	5	54.5	11	6.3	1	9.5	2			19
Campo de Ourique	41.2	6	38.9	5	8.3	1	8.3	1			13
Campolide	39.5	6	36.2	5	8.8	1	12.7	1			13
Carnide	26.6	4	19.3	2	41.7	6	9.5	1			13
Estrela	53.5	7	28.1	4	7.5	1	8.5	1			13
Lumiar	46.1	10	31.1	6	8.5	1	9.7	2			19
Marvila	21.9	4	38.2	8	9.7	2	26.0	5			19
Misericórdia	35.8	5	38.3	5	13.7	2	8.4	1			13
Olivais	23.8	5	29.2	6	8.2	1	12.6	3	23.2	4	19
Parque das Nações	49.8	7	30.3	4	6.3	1	11.1	1			13
Penha de França	26.5	5	39.6	8	16.5	3	13.9	3			19
Santa Clara	27.1	4	32.4	5	9.9	1	24.2	3			13
Santa Maria Maior	23.3	3	41.0	6	17.6	2	14.3	2			13
Santo António	49.4	7	32.3	5	9.1	1					13
São Domingos de Benfica	46.2	10	34.7	7	8.6	1	7.6	1			19
São Vicente	20.9	3	40.3	6	18.4	2	8.7	1	8.9	1	13
Total	37.5	145	35.5	141	10.7	38	10.4	37	1.6	5	366
Source: [39]

Notes

1. Coalition with PSD, IL and CDS–PP.
2. Coalition with PS, L, BE and PAN.
3. In the 2021 election, PSD/CDS/MPT/PPM/A had 7 seats and 34.3% of the votes, while IL had 4.2% and failed to elect any seats.
4. In the 2021 election, the PS+LIVRE coalition had 7 seats and 33.3% of the votes, while BE had 6.2% and 1 seat and PAN got 2.7% and failed to elect any seats.
5. Compared with the result of Democratic Republican Party. In late 2021, the Democratic Republican Party (PDR) changed its name to the National Democratic Alternative (ADN).
6. Denotes a main invitee attending the event.

References

1. "Moedas recandidata-se à Câmara de Lisboa. "Ainda tenho muito para dar"". Notícias ao Minuto (in Portuguese). 11 July 2025. Retrieved 11 June 2025.
2. "PSD e IL têm acordo para candidaturas autárquicas em Lisboa e Porto". Expresso (in Portuguese). 5 June 2025. Retrieved 16 June 2025.
3. Henriques, João Pedro (17 July 2025). "Há acordo para coligação das esquerdas em Lisboa, só o PCP fica de fora". Expresso (in Portuguese). Retrieved 17 July 2025.
4. Begonha, Ana Bacelar (15 January 2025). "Frente de esquerda? BE e Livre acreditam que é possível "fazer caminho" com Alexandra Leitão". PÚBLICO (in Portuguese). Retrieved 16 January 2025.
5. Lopes, Ana Sá (13 January 2025). "Alexandra Leitão é a candidata do PS à Câmara de Lisboa". PÚBLICO (in Portuguese). Retrieved 16 February 2025.
6. Gonçalves, Diogo; Candeias, Humberto (15 July 2024). "Autárquicas: PCP recusa coligação de esquerda em Lisboa". SIC Notícias (in Portuguese). Retrieved 17 July 2025.
7. Mesquita, Joana (17 September 2024). "João Ferreira volta a ser o candidato da CDU a Lisboa". PÚBLICO (in Portuguese). Retrieved 14 January 2025.
8. "Bruno Mascarenhas é o candidato do Chega à Câmara Municipal de Lisboa". SIC Notícias (in Portuguese). 9 March 2025. Retrieved 12 March 2025.
9. "Projeção: Carlos Moedas em ligeira vantagem com empate técnico". CNN Portugal (in Portuguese). 12 October 2025. Retrieved 17 October 2025.
10. "Autárquicas. Carlos Moedas reeleito presidente da câmara de Lisboa". RTP (in Portuguese). 13 October 2025. Retrieved 17 October 2025.
11. "PCP recorre ao Tribunal Constitucional para ultrapassar Chega em Lisboa". Expresso (in Portuguese). 20 October 2025. Retrieved 20 October 2025.
12. Portugal, Rádio e Televisão de (27 September 2021). "Vitória-surpresa do PSD e direita em Lisboa, PS ganha no país". Vitória-surpresa do PSD e direita em Lisboa, PS ganha no país (in Portuguese). Retrieved 14 January 2025.
13. Portugal, Rádio e Televisão de (27 September 2021). "CML. Carlos Moedas vence Lisboa contrariando todas as sondagens". CML. Carlos Moedas vence Lisboa contrariando todas as sondagens (in Portuguese). Retrieved 14 January 2025.
14. "Lei n.º 169/99, de 18 de Setembro". www.pgdlisboa.pt. Retrieved 12 February 2022.
15. "Eleição dos titulares dos órgãos das autarquias locais" (in Portuguese). Diário da República. 14 August 2001. Retrieved 17 July 2025.
16. ""Alexandra Leitão? Qualquer candidato do PS terá dificuldades em ombrear com Moedas em Lisboa"". SIC Notícias (in Portuguese). 13 January 2025. Retrieved 14 January 2025.
17. "Alexandra Leitão é a candidata do PS à Câmara de Lisboa". Expresso (in Portuguese). 13 January 2025. Retrieved 14 January 2025.
18. Portugal, Rádio e Televisão de (16 July 2025). "Carlos Moedas (PSD) diz que escolha em Lisboa é entre moderação e radicalismo". Carlos Moedas (PSD) diz que escolha em Lisboa é entre moderação e radicalismo (in Portuguese). Retrieved 18 July 2025.
19. "Cantora Adelaide Ferreira é candidata do ADN a Lisboa". www.cmjornal.pt (in Portuguese). 26 July 2025. Retrieved 27 July 2025.
20. Lusa, Agência. "Ossanda Líber é candidata do Nova Direita à presidência da Câmara de Lisboa". Observador (in European Portuguese). Retrieved 14 January 2025.
21. "Coligação PPM/PTP candidata dirigente monárquico na "verdadeira AD" em Lisboa". Notícias ao Minuto (in Portuguese). 20 August 2025. Retrieved 21 August 2025.
22. "Autárquicas. RIR estreia-se na corrida à Câmara de Lisboa com Luís Mendes". Observador (in Portuguese). 2 September 2025. Retrieved 2 September 2025.
23. "Sobe para 16 o número de mortos no descarrilamento do Elevador da Glória". Notícias ao Minuto (in Portuguese). 4 September 2025. Retrieved 6 September 2025.
24. "Vistoria ao Elevador da Glória era de 24 horas diárias mas no dia do acidente durou meia hora". SIC Notícias (in Portuguese). 5 September 2025. Retrieved 6 September 2025.
25. "Elevador da Glória. Carlos Moedas deve ou não demitir-se?". Observador (in Portuguese). 6 September 2025. Retrieved 6 September 2025.
26. "Carris "intensificou" recurso a manutenções externas a partir de 2009 por "redução do pessoal"". Eco (in Portuguese). 5 September 2025. Retrieved 6 September 2025.
27. "Lista 'Por ti, Lisboa – MOEDAS 2025' entregue. A equipa que lidero é a mais preparada e a mais experiente para dar ainda mais aos lisboetas". Carlos Moedas X account (in Portuguese). 18 August 2025. Retrieved 21 August 2025.
28. "Vamos #ViverLisboa". Alexandra Leitão Facebook account (in Portuguese). 13 August 2025. Retrieved 21 August 2025.
29. "None". CDU Lisboa Facebook account (in Portuguese). 16 June 2025. Retrieved 21 August 2025.
30. "Autárquicas 2025". Bruno Mascarenhas Facebook account (in Portuguese). 25 July 2025. Retrieved 21 August 2025.
31. "Autárquicas 2025 - Religa-te a Lisboa". Volt Portugal (in Portuguese). Retrieved 28 September 2025.
32. "Programa Lisboa". NOVA DIREITA (in European Portuguese). Retrieved 28 September 2025.
33. "Autárquicas 2025: CDU e Chega juntam-se ao debate em Lisboa". SIC Notícias (in Portuguese). 13 September 2025. Retrieved 13 September 2025.
34. "Quem atacou quem no primeiro debate de Lisboa na rádio?". Observador (in Portuguese). 19 September 2025. Retrieved 21 September 2025.
35. "Elevador da Glória, lixo e habitação aquecem debate tenso entre candidatos a Lisboa". Renascença (in Portuguese). 24 September 2025. Retrieved 25 September 2025.
36. "Eleições Autárquicas 2025 - Debate Lisboa". RTP (in Portuguese). 2 October 2025. Retrieved 4 October 2025.
37. "Autarquicas Locais 2025" (in Portuguese). Ministry of Home Affairs. 13 October 2025.
38. "Autarquicas Locais 2025" (in Portuguese). Ministry of Home Affairs. 13 October 2025.
39. "Autarquicas Locais 2025" (in Portuguese). Ministry of Home Affairs. 18 October 2025.

External links

• Interior Ministry election results page