Livre Defies Odds: Secures Six Seats in Parliament Amid Left's Electoral Nightmare

In a challenging night for the left, Livre managed to elect six deputies, two more than in the previous elections, becoming the fifth political force in Parliament. However, the party fell short of its eight-seat goal and did not surpass the Liberal Initiative. "It's a bittersweet night," admitted Rui Tavares, Livre's leader, warning of "difficult times" ahead that will require "a lot of pragmatism."

Rui Tavares thanked the over 200,000 voters who supported Livre and highlighted the addition of two new deputies to the parliamentary group. Joining him, Isabel Mendes Lopes, Paulo Muacho, and Jorge Pinto are now Filipa Pinto, elected from Porto, and Patrícia Gonçalves, from Lisbon.

"We do not conform, we do not give up, and we do not think it's normal to have a country where the right has radicalized, is on the rise, and the left is declining," he warned. Despite the "difficult times" ahead, the leader stated he has "no intention of staying at home."

One of the first actions will be to energize a "great democratic movement," presenting "as many lists as possible" to "contest the terrain with the radicalized right" in the local elections. "We will not forget any village in this country," he promised, in a speech that lasted over half an hour and was warmly applauded by supporters gathered at the Teatro Thalia in Lisbon.

The presidential elections, he added, have gained "even more importance from today." "Livre will be at the center of electing a President of the Republic committed to the social and environmental rule of law in our country, which is an essential condition," he pledged.

Referring to the results that gave the right a victory and allowed the growth of the radical right, Tavares said: "What happened tonight was not for lack of warning."

A Parity Parliamentary Group

Early in the evening, Livre's campaign headquarters were almost empty. In the room lit with the party's colors, supporters only began to fill the about 30 chairs lined up in front of the stage from 7 pm, coinciding with the moment Patrícia Gonçalves entered to comment on the first estimates of abstention.

Jorge Pinto, a candidate from the Porto district, was the first Livre deputy to be elected. The news arrived just a few minutes past 10 pm and was met with shouts of joy by the supporters. In a call to the northern city, projected on the wall, Jorge Pinto promised a "creative resistance" and assured that "this is the beginning of the turnaround."

Seconds later, the election of Rui Tavares in Lisbon was announced. The Livre leader took the stage to ask supporters to shout "we will win" instead of "they shall not pass."

"I really liked hearing 'they shall not pass,' but what I want you to say with your eyes on the future is that we will win. I don't want us to survive, I want us to live," he challenged, saving a longer speech for the end of the night, after the final results were known.

Some time later, the vote count confirmed the election of Isabel Mendes Lopes, who thanked "those who recognized Livre's work" over the past year and promised to work with "more strength and more determination."

The elections of Filipa Pinto, from the Porto district, and Paulo Muacho, from Setúbal, followed.

"It's a positive night for Livre, but the national situation is not the most positive for the left. The times ahead will be difficult," said Muacho, who was joined by Patrícia Gonçalves, the third deputy elected from Lisbon, at the end of the night.

The night ended to the sound of "Grândola Vila Morena," a song by Zeca Afonso, and chants of "25th of April always, fascism never again."