Every vote matters; therefore, the votes of foreign residents in Portugal who can register and vote in the Portuguese local elections are also important.


In local elections, heading to the polls means making sure that the party with the manifesto that electors identify as the most in line with their thoughts and beliefs may have greater representation in the municipal assembly.


Each party may have different points of view regarding the presence of foreigners in the municipality. While every idea is different, everyone has the right to agree or to disagree with them, but above all, every voter has the right to representation.


Combining the Portuguese and foreign residents may bring a greater variety of parties to the City Councils and Juntas de Freguesia, promoting a wider debate, where various ideologies may be represented.


The increase of foreigners' participation in the local elections may turn the attention of politicians to foreign people residing in their town, as the community is participating in such an important moment for democracy, which is the elections. An increase in the participation of the foreign community in local elections may lead to new ideas for the community and ways of improving the quality of life in a specific town.


It is also important for foreign residents, who pay their taxes in Portugal and their town, to choose the greatest representation for their municipal political body. This way, it will be possible to choose the party that may economically suit the electors’ perspective.

Reading the manifesto, registering and voting for local elections is important as it will give foreign residents in Portugal an opportunity to make their voice heard, and possibly make changes that will positively affect the entire community.

For further information about how to register to vote, please see pages 32 and 33 in this edition of The Portugal News.

Author

Deeply in love with music and with a guilty pleasure in criminal cases, Bruno G. Santos decided to study Journalism and Communication, hoping to combine both passions into writing. The journalist is also a passionate traveller who likes to write about other cultures and discover the various hidden gems from Portugal and the world. Press card: 8463. 

Bruno G. Santos