Portugal’s municipal election preparations blighted number of mayors and council officials under criminal investigation

Around 100 mayors and council officials could be  ‘going to the polls’ in Portugal’s municipal elections this autumn under the suspicion of crimes. Says Expresso cases at issue range from abuse of power to prevarication and corruption. PS Socialists and centre-right PSD between them have “more than 20 candidates who are ‘arguidos’ (official suspects)”. Making the climate “even more corrosive” the Public Ministry has opened 33 inquiries for vaccination fraud, two of which involve mayors Isilda Gomes of Portimão and José Calixto of Reguengos de Monsaraz. Says the paper, the country’s two main parties will have to evaluate each case “one by one” to decide whether or not they can allow the candidates to run.