2025 Setúbal local election

Main article: 2025 Portuguese local elections
2025 Setúbal local elections
12 October 2025
All 11 Councillors in the Setúbal City Council
6 seats needed for a majority
Turnout51.8% 9.7 pp
  First party Second party
 
IND
Leader Maria das Dores Meira Fernando José
Party Independent PS
Alliance Setúbal Back[a]
Last election 2 seats, 18.3%[b] 4 seats, 27.7%
Seats won 4 4
Seat change 2 0
Popular vote 16,525 15,187
Percentage 29.9% 27.5%
Swing 11.6 pp 0.2 pp
  Third party Fourth party
 
Leader António Cachaço André Martins
Party CH PEV
Alliance CDU
Last election 0 seats, 5.9% 5 seats, 34.4%
Seats won 2 1
Seat change 2 4
Popular vote 9,984 6,316
Percentage 18.1% 11.4%
Swing 12.2 pp 23.0 pp
Mayor before election

André Martins
PEV

Elected mayor

Maria das Dores Meira
Independent

The 2025 Setúbal local election was held on 12 October 2025 to elect the members for Setúbal City Council, Setúbal Municipal Assembly and the city's 5 parish assemblies.

Incumbent Mayor André Martins, from the Unitary Democratic Coalition (CDU), ran for a second term, facing a tough challenge from Fernando José, from the Socialist Party, and former Mayor Maria das Dores Meira, who was elected as part of the CDU in the past and was supported in this election by the PSD and the CDS–PP, while Chega originally proposed former PSD MP Lina Lopes as the party's mayoral candidate.[1] However, on 18 August 2025, the last date to submit lists to the election, CHEGA candidate Lina Lopes dropped out from the race.[2] Following this, the party nominated António Cachaço as the new mayoral candidate.[3]

Maria das Dores Meira was successful in returning to her old job, winning 30% of the votes, just narrowly ahead of the Socialist Party, which gathered almost 28% of the votes. Each won four councillors. Chega increased to 18% of the votes, while CDU was "crushed" and pushed to fourth place, with mayor André Martins gaining just 11% of the votes and electing only himself to the municipal council.[3] Turnout nearly reached 52% of registered voters, the highest rate since 2001.

Background

In the 2021 local election, André Martins, from the Unitary Democratic Coalition (CDU), was elected for the first time as Mayor of Setúbal, replacing outgoing Mayor Maria das Dores Meira, also from the CDU. The CDU got 34.4% of the votes and elected five seats to the city council, thus losing its absolute majority, beating the Socialist Party (PS) candidate Fernando José, who got 27.7% of the votes and four seats, while the Social Democratic Party (PSD) candidate Fernando Negrão got 16.6% of the votes and elected two seats.[4]

Electoral system

Each party or coalition must present a list of candidates. The winner of the most voted list for the municipal council is automatically elected mayor, similar to first-past-the-post (FPTP). The lists are closed and the seats in each municipality are apportioned according to the D'Hondt method. Unlike in national legislative elections, independent lists are allowed to run.[5][6]

Parties and candidates

Party/Coalition Political
position 		Candidate 2021 result Ref.
Votes (%) Seats
CDU Unitary Democratic Coalition
Coligação Democrática Unitária PCP, PEV 		Left-wing
to far-left 		André Martins 34.4%
5 / 11
 [7]
PS Socialist Party
Partido Socialista 		Center-left Fernando José 27.7%
4 / 11
 [8]
SET–V25 Dores Meira – Setúbal Back[a]
Dores Meira – Setúbal de Volta 		Syncretic Maria das Dores Meira 18.3%[b]
2 / 11
 [9][10]
CH Enough!
Chega! 		Far-right António Cachaço 5.9%
0 / 11
 [11][2][3]
BE Left Bloc
Bloco de Esquerda 		Left-wing
to far-left 		Daniela Rodrigues 4.2%
0 / 11
 [12]
IL Liberal Initiative
Iniciativa Liberal 		Center-right
to right-wing 		Flávio Lança 2.3%
0 / 11
 [13]

PAN People Animals Nature
Pessoas-Animais-Natureza 		Syncretic Mariana Crespo 2.3%
0 / 11
 [14]

ADN National Democratic Alternative[c]
Alternativa Democrática Nacional 		Far-right Cláudio Fonseca 0.5%
0 / 11
 [14]

L FREE
LIVRE 		Left-wing André Dias N/a N/a [15]

Campaign period

Party slogans

Party or alliance Original slogan English translation Refs
CDU « Gente de verdade. Continuar Setúbal. » "Real folk. Continue Setúbal." [16]
PS « Vamos Setúbal! » "Let's go Setubal!" [17]
SET–V25 « Setúbal de Volta » "Setúbal Back" [18]
CH « A limpeza começa em Setúbal » "The cleanup begins in Setúbal" [19]
BE « Setúbal pelas Pessoas » "Setúbal for the People" [20]
IL « Acelerar Setúbal » "Accelerate Setúbal" [21]

Candidates' debates

2025 Setúbal local election debates
Date Organisers Moderator(s)     P  Present[d]    NI  Not invited   I  Invited    A  Absent invitee 
CDU
Martins 		PS
José 		SET–V25
Meira 		CH
Cachaço 		BE
Rodrigues 		IL
Lança 		Refs
19 Sep 2025 RTP3 Luísa Bastos P P P P P P [22]
21 Sep 2025 SIC Notícias Diogo Teixeira Pereira P P P P P P [23]

Opinion polling

  Exit poll

Polling firm/Link Fieldwork date Sample size CDU PS SET–V25 CH BE IL PAN L ADN O Lead
PSD CDS
2025 local election 12 Oct 2025 N/a 11.4
1 		27.5
4 		29.9
4 		18.1
2 		1.2
0 		4.5
0 		0.9
0 		2.6
0 		1.3
0 		2.6 2.4
CESOP–UCP 12 Oct 2025 4,215 10–13
1 		27–31
3/5 		29–34
3/5 		16–21
1/3 		1–2
0 		3–5
0 		1
0 		1–2
0 		1
0 		1–3 2–3
ICS/ISCTE/Pitagórica 12 Oct 2025 4,419 9.2–12.6
1/2 		25.8–30.6
3/5 		27.4–32.2
3/5 		16.2–20.2
1/3 		0.3–2.3
0/1 		3.2–6.2
0/1 		0.3–1.3
0/1 		0.3–2.3
0/1 		1.6
Pitagórica 9–14 Sep 2025 500 15.0
2 		22.5
3 		30.1
4 		21.6
2 		1.2
0 		3.7
0 		0.2
0 		1.0
0 		0.2
0 		4.5
0 		7.6
2025 Legislative election 18 May 2025 N/a 5.9
(0) 		24.1
(4) 		22.5
(3) 		27.3
(4) 		2.7
(0) 		5.7
(0) 		1.9
(0) 		5.6
(0) 		0.8
(0) 		4.3
(0) 		3.2
2024 EP election 9 Jun 2024 N/a 8.5
(1) 		32.6
(5) 		21.9
(3) 		11.6
(1) 		5.9
(0) 		9.6
(1) 		1.6
(0) 		4.6
(0) 		1.0
(0) 		3.7
(0) 		10.7
2024 Legislative election 10 Mar 2024 N/a 6.5
(1) 		29.9
(4) 		18.7
(2) 		20.8
(3) 		6.5
(1) 		5.6
(0) 		2.6
(0) 		4.3
(0) 		1.5
(0) 		5.1
(0) 		9.1
2022 Legislative election 30 Jan 2022 N/a 8.7
(1) 		44.6
(7) 		18.0
(2) 		1.2
(0) 		9.0
(1) 		6.2
(0) 		5.5
(0) 		2.0
(0) 		1.4
(0) 		0.4
(0) 		3.4
(0) 		26.6
2021 local election 26 Sep 2021 N/a 34.4
5 		27.7
4 		16.6
2 		1.7
0 		5.9
0 		4.2
0 		2.3
0 		2.3
0 		N/a 0.5
0 		4.9
0 		6.7

Results

Municipal Council

Summary of the 12 October 2025 Setúbal City Council elections results
Parties Votes % ±pp swing Councillors
Total ±
Maria das Dores Meira - SET–V25 16,525 29.91 11.6 4 2
Socialist 15,187 27.49 0.2 4 0
CHEGA 9,984 18.07 12.2 2 2
Unitary Democratic Coalition 6,316 11.43 23.0 1 4
Liberal Initiative 2,470 4.47 2.2 0 0
LIVRE 1,424 2.58 N/a 0 N/a
National Democratic Alternative 702 1.27 N/a 0 N/a
Left Bloc 649 1.17 3.0 0 0
People–Animals–Nature 499 0.90 1.3 0 0
Total valid 53,756 97.29 1.0 11 0
Blank ballots 906 1.64 0.8
Invalid ballots 591 1.07 0.2
Total 55,253 100.00
Registered voters/turnout 106,736 51.77 9.7
Source:[24]

Municipal Assembly

Summary of the 12 October 2025 Setúbal Municipal Assembly elections
results
Parties Votes % ±pp swing Seats
Total ±
Maria das Dores Meira - SET–V25 14,714 26.62 8.9 10 4
Socialist 14,671 26.54 1.0 10 0
CHEGA 10,788 19.52 13.1 7 5
Unitary Democratic Coalition 6,510 11.78 20.7 4 8
Liberal Initiative 2,762 5.00 2.5 1 0
LIVRE 2,026 3.67 N/a 1 N/a
Left Bloc 853 1.54 3.6 0 1
National Democratic Alternative 678 1.23 N/a 0 N/a
People–Animals–Nature 658 1.19 1.8 0 0
Total valid 53,660 97.08 1.0 11 0
Blank ballots 1,020 1.85 0.8
Invalid ballots 594 1.07 0.2
Total 55,274 100.00
Registered voters/turnout 106,736 51.79 9.7
Source:[24]

Parish Assemblies

Results of the 12 October 2025 Setúbal Parish Assembly elections
Parish % S % S % S % S % S Total
S
PS SET–V25 CDU CH IL
Azeitão (São Lourenço e São Simão) 29.0 4 21.5 3 14.1 2 19.9 3 9.3 1 13
Gâmbia – Pontes – Alto da Guerra 23.9 3 18.2 3 31.9 5 16.0 2 4.7 - 13
Sado 20.8 2 18.5 2 35.7 3 18.0 2 1.8 - 9
São Julião, Nossa Senhora da Anunciada e Santa Maria da Graça 30.0 7 27.7 6 12.7 2 15.6 3 6.0 1 19
São Sebastião 28.0 7 22.3 5 15.9 4 22.7 5 4.0 - 21
Total 28.2 23 23.4 19 16.7 16 19.2 15 5.6 2 75
Source:[25]

Notes

  1. ^ a b Supported by the Social Democratic Party (PSD) and the CDS – People's Party (CDS–PP).
  2. ^ a b In the 2021 election, the PSD had 2 seats and 16.6% of the votes, while CDS had 1.7% and failed to elect any seats.
  3. ^ The National Democratic Alternative (ADN) was in 2021 called the Democratic Republican Party (PDR).
  4. ^ Denotes a main invitee attending the event.

References

  1. ^ "Uma independente, ausência do PSD e ascensão do Chega. Uma das maiores câmaras do país vai ter uma eleição inédita". CNN Portugal (in Portuguese). Retrieved 17 July 2025.
  2. ^ a b "Candidata apoiada pelo Chega retira candidatura à Câmara de Setúbal". Sábado (in Portuguese). 18 August 2025. Retrieved 18 August 2025.
  3. ^ a b c "Chega apresenta António Cachaço para Setúbal após desistência de Lina Lopes". Expresso (in Portuguese). 18 August 2025. Retrieved 18 August 2025.
  4. ^ "Dores Meira reconquista Setúbal e esmaga CDU". Público (in European Portuguese). 13 October 2025. Retrieved 17 October 2025.
  5. ^ "Lei n.º 169/99, de 18 de Setembro". www.pgdlisboa.pt. Retrieved 12 February 2022.
  6. ^ "Eleição dos titulares dos órgãos das autarquias locais" (in Portuguese). Diário da República. 14 August 2001. Retrieved 17 July 2025.
  7. ^ "André Martins recandidata-se pela CDU à Câmara de Setúbal com Maria Helena de Mattos como mandatária [corrigida] - O Setubalense". osetubalense.com (in European Portuguese). 9 April 2025. Retrieved 17 July 2025.
  8. ^ Cunha, Mariana Lima. "Vereador Fernando José será candidato do PS à Câmara de Setúbal". Observador (in European Portuguese). Retrieved 17 July 2025.
  9. ^ "Maria das Dores Meira anuncia candidatura independente à Câmara de Setúbal". Jornal de Notícias (in Portuguese). 22 July 2024. Retrieved 17 July 2025.
  10. ^ Ralha, Leonardo (15 July 2025). "Dores Meira agradece apoio do PSD mas recusa "interferências partidárias" na candidatura à Câmara de Setúbal". Diário de Notícias (in Portuguese). Retrieved 17 July 2025.
  11. ^ Figueiredo, Inês André. "Ex-deputada do PSD próxima de Rui Rio é candidata pelo Chega a Setúbal". Observador (in European Portuguese). Retrieved 17 July 2025.
  12. ^ "Historiadora Daniela Rodrigues é a escolha do BE para a Câmara de Setúbal - O Setubalense" (in European Portuguese). 18 August 2025. Retrieved 19 August 2025.
  13. ^ "Iniciativa Liberal elege Flávio Lança como candidato à Câmara de Setúbal - O Setubalense". osetubalense.com (in European Portuguese). 1 July 2025. Retrieved 17 July 2025.
  14. ^ a b Portugal, Rádio e Televisão de (19 September 2025). "Autárquicas 2025. Setúbal". Autárquicas 2025. Setúbal (in Portuguese). Retrieved 20 September 2025.
  15. ^ LIVRE, Administrador LIVRE Administrador (17 July 2025). "Resultados provisórios da 2ª Ronda da Primárias Abertas – Eleições Autárquicas 2025". LIVRE (in European Portuguese). Retrieved 31 July 2025.
  16. ^ "None". CDU Setúbal Facebook account (in Portuguese). 22 July 2025. Retrieved 8 September 2025.
  17. ^ "Raul Melo, médico, 76 anos, é o número 9 na lista do PS à Câmara Municipal de Setúbal". PS Setúbal Facebook account (in Portuguese). 7 September 2025. Retrieved 8 September 2025.
  18. ^ "None". Maria das Dores Meira Facebook account (in Portuguese). 2 June 2025. Retrieved 8 September 2025.
  19. ^ "None". Chega Azeitão Facebook account (in Portuguese). 30 August 2025. Retrieved 22 September 2025.
  20. ^ "Daniela Rodrigues e Vitor Rosa são os cabeças de lista do Bloco de Esquerda no concelho de Setúbal". Setúbal Mais Facebook account (in Portuguese). 19 August 2025. Retrieved 22 September 2025.
  21. ^ "None". IL Setúbal Facebook account (in Portuguese). 19 June 2025. Retrieved 8 September 2025.
  22. ^ "Debates Eleições Autárquicas 2025". RTP (in Portuguese). 19 September 2025. Retrieved 21 September 2025.
  23. ^ "Eleições Autárquicas: o debate de Setúbal". SIC Notícias (in Portuguese). 21 September 2025. Retrieved 21 September 2025.
  24. ^ a b "Comissão Nacional de Eleições Mapa Oficial n.º 2-B/2025" (PDF) (in Portuguese). Diário da República. 17 December 2025. Retrieved 18 December 2025.
  25. ^ "Autarquicas Locais 2025" (in Portuguese). Ministry of Home Affairs. 18 October 2025.
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