João Cotrim de Figueiredo, leader of Iniciativa Liberal – Portugal’s 4th political force in terms of parliamentary representation – has announced he will stepping down at the next elections for the party’s Executive Commission, which have been brought forwards to December. In a statement he says this has been a “personally and politically” difficult decision to take, but he believes the strategy for the party to continue to grow has to be different from the strategy that has seen it develop significantly up till now. “The party needs a more combative, more popular, and more comprehensive emphasis at the national level, and I don’t think I’m the ideal person to embody it”, he explains. By having a new leader in place sooner rather than later, he feels the party will have much more chance at gaining support before the next legislative elections in two years time.
