Lisbon's Election Night Confessions: Candidates Reveal Their True Colors in Late-Night Calls

The Final Call of Lisbon's Mayoral Candidates

In the final days of Lisbon's heated municipal election campaign, the four main candidates revealed their most personal thoughts during late-night phone calls with journalists. These candid conversations exposed everything from their late-night routines to their deepest political fears.

Carlos Moedas: The Incumbent Seeking Comfort in Friends

Carlos Moedas, the current mayor running for PSD, CDS, and IL, confessed he has little time for television but occasionally watches Friends episodes "just to relax." The incumbent candidate accused his socialist rival of trying to "win votes through tragedy" regarding the Elevador da Glória accident and called asking for an absolute majority "arrogance."

Moedas described the double burden of being both candidate and sitting mayor: "It's almost double the work of a normal candidate because I'm a candidate and also the president." When asked about his political future, he remained ambiguous: "I don't know. I could be here with typical answers, but I'm not a traditional politician."

Alexandra Leitão: The Night Owl Trying to Appear Less Serious

Alexandra Leitão, candidate for PS, Livre, BE, and PAN, admitted being a natural night owl who's been trying to go to bed earlier during the campaign - though "never before 1 AM." She revealed her biggest frustration: "Sometimes I project an image of being a bit serious. I wish I could appear less serious."

The socialist candidate made her target clear: "My target is Carlos Moedas," though she only ruled out negotiating with Chega after the elections. When asked about her political future beyond Lisbon, she remained open: "Neither in nor out."

João Ferreira: The Veteran Facing New Opposition Dynamics

João Ferreira of CDU emphasized this campaign differs from his previous three because it follows "four years of right-wing governance." He credited decisions by ERC that included him in televised debates for changing the game, saying Carlos Moedas shows "unpreparedness for the position."

The communist candidate criticized both major opponents, arguing they represent "the lesser of two evils" while positioning CDU as the true alternative. He particularly emphasized housing issues, noting Lisbon has "48,000 empty homes" while many struggle to find affordable housing.

Bruno Mascarenhas: Ventura's Soldier with Clear Red Lines

Bruno Mascarenhas of Chega, who previously ran for mayor of Grândola in 2005, proudly declared himself "one of André Ventura's soldiers" and admitted "Ventura is a thousand times better than me."

The Chega candidate outlined strict post-election rules: "Chega mayors do not vote for PS budgets." He did, however, open the door to supporting Moedas's budgets if certain conditions were met, particularly regarding Carris management transparency.

Key Election Dynamics Revealed

The Elevador da Glória Tragedy's Shadow

The recent tragedy at Elevador da Glória has cast a long shadow over the campaign. Moedas accused Leitão of politicizing the incident, while Mascarenhas filed a censure motion against the current administration. All candidates acknowledged the event's significant impact on Lisbon voters.

Governing Mathematics

With polls showing a tight race, the question of post-election governance looms large. Moedas ruled out deals with "extremes" from left or right, while Leitão only excluded Chega. Ferreira positioned CDU as a potential governing partner, and Mascarenhas set clear conditions for any support.

Personal Campaign Styles

Each candidate revealed distinct campaign approaches - from Moedas's "discreet" strategy to Leitão's focus on street-level engagement. Ferreira leveraged his experience in municipal governance, while Mascarenhas embraced his role as Ventura's representative.

These late-night revelations provide unprecedented insight into the personalities and pressures shaping Lisbon's most important local election in years, with candidates balancing personal authenticity against political calculation in the campaign's final days.