People's Democracy

CPI (M) Congratulates the PCP on its

Splendid Electoral Performance

THE Central Committee of the Communist Party of India (Marxist) congratulated the Portuguese Communist Party (PCP) for its splendid performance in the recently concluded elections to the local bodies. Sitaram Yechury, Polit Bureau member, personally conveyed this message to the leadership of the PCP during his bi-lateral talks with them. Sitaram Yechury was in Portugal, as one of the two international guests who were invited to be part of the birth centenary commemoration of legendary leader of the PCP, Comrade Alvaro Cunhal.

In the elections to the local bodies, there was an increase in the number of votes for the PCP and its coalition CDU, in absolute terms (CDU scored 600,000 votes and increased its share of the vote from 10.6 percent to 12.0 percent in the municipal assemblies). The victories in ten new municipalities (Alandroal, Alcácer do Sal, Beja, Cuba, Évora, Grândola, Loures, Monforte, Silves, Vila Viçosa) which, despite the loss of four municipalities (Chamusca, Crato, Nisa e Vendas Novas), represent an increase in the number of municipalities from 28 to 34 (the largest number ever since the local elections of 1997). The CDU was also confirmed as a major political force in Lisbon's Metropolitan Area (where, besides the consolidation and strengthening of positions in the Setúbal Peninsula, it has now a majority in Loures). It secured victories in 169 of the current parishes (corresponding to 236 of the former parishes which existed in 2009, which represents an increase of 23 with regard to the outcome of the elections held in that year). In these elections it succeeded in getting elected a second councillor in the city of Lisbon; and also made significant progress in areas where CDU is a minority force (in local governments, municipal and parish assemblies, namely in Northern and Central Portugal and in the Algarve). Particularly noteworthy is the fact that the CDU has increased its share of the vote in a context of a growing number of abstentions and an ideological offensive against political parties and politicians. It is of significance that the ruling class parties of the national Troika – PS, PSD, CDS – have lost more than 800,000 votes which reflects a clear condemnation of the right-wing policies that they have been pursuing for years.