Miranda Sarmento announces he will not join the European Parliament list, committing to fulfill his current mandate as leader of Portugal’s Social Democratic Party.

In a closed-door meeting with fellow members of the Social Democratic Party (PSD), Miranda Sarmento, the leader of the PSD in the Portuguese Parliament, made a significant announcement: he will not be part of the party’s list for the upcoming European Parliament elections.

This decision comes amidst rising tensions and discomfort within the party’s leadership, allegedly caused by Sarmento’s parliamentary role.

During the meeting, Sarmento addressed the concerns and tensions among deputies, reassuring his colleagues that he has no plans to leave the Assembly of the Republic to join the European Parliament.

Furthermore, he expressed his unwavering commitment to fulfilling his current mandate, which is set to conclude in July of the following year.

Responding to reporters’ questions after the meeting, Sarmento emphasized his decision not to pursue a candidacy for the European Parliament, stating that he remains dedicated to completing his term as the president of the Social Democratic Party’s parliamentary group. Elected for two years starting from July 13th of the previous year, Sarmento confirmed his commitment to fulfilling his mandate unless unforeseen circumstances arise.

Interestingly, during the meeting, no deputies raised questions about a recent article published by DN (Diário de Notícias) that suggested a potential early departure from Sarmento’s position.

The article even speculated about potential successors, including vice presidents Paulo Rios de Oliveira and João Moura.

Similarly, there were no inquiries regarding other reports where the party leadership denied any intention to change the parliamentary leadership.

With Sarmento’s concluding statement, which received applause from some deputies, the meeting promptly adjourned without any further requests to speak.

Joaquim Miranda Sarmento, who assumed the leadership of the Social Democratic Party in the Portuguese Parliament in July of the previous year, succeeded Paulo Mota Pinto, who held the position for only three months.

However, early elections were called for after Luís Montenegro replaced Rui Rio as the party’s president and expressed his intention to change the parliamentary group’s leadership.

Since his election, Sarmento has faced tensions within the party, including disagreements over the motion of censure by Iniciativa Liberal (IL) against the government and recent proposals by Chega and IL to establish a parliamentary inquiry into intelligence services’ actions.

Notably, Sarmento decided to bring up the ‘Tuttifrutti’ operation during a general political debate with the Prime Minister, which allegedly involved favor exchanges with the Socialist Party during the 2017 local elections, which created the most visible division within the parliamentary group.

The leadership of the parliamentary group has experienced changes since Sarmento’s election.

Ricardo Baptista Leite and Joaquim Pinto Moreira, two vice presidents, stepped down for professional reasons. Additionally, Luís Gomes, the third vice president, is expected to be suspended soon.

Pinto Moreira left his position following an investigation related to “Operation Vórtex.”

Another source of discomfort within the parliamentary group was Pinto Moreira’s subsequent return to his mandate, two months after suspending it, and the assumption of committee positions despite the withdrawal of political trust by the PSD president.

The situation surrounding Miranda Sarmento’s decision and the ongoing tensions within the Social Democratic Party’s leadership has undoubtedly added to the uncertainty and dynamics within the party as members navigate the path forward.

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