Local elections: Government sets elections for October 12

The local elections will take place on October 12, the Minister of the Presidency announced today at the press conference following the Council of Ministers meeting.

The date of the local elections is set by government decree at least 80 days in advance. According to the local electoral law, these elections must be held between 22 September and 14 October and on a Sunday.

On June 26, the Government met with all parties in parliament about choosing the date for the local elections, with the majority preferring October 12.

On that occasion, PSD, Chega, PCP, PAN, Livre and CDS-PP indicated to the executive that they considered that the next local elections should be held on October 12, while PS and IL pointed to the date of September 28 and BE communicated in writing that it preferred October 5. JPP met with the Government but did not make any statements at the end.

According to local electoral law, these elections will be held between 22 September and 14 October on a Sunday, so in practice there were only three possible dates: 28 September, 5 October (a holiday commemorating the Establishment of the Republic) and 12 October.

The last local elections were held on September 26, 2021, in 2017 they were on October 1, in 2013 on September 29, in 2009 they were held on October 11 and in 2005 on October 9. Before, local elections were held in December.