LIVRE

FREE
LIVRE
AbbreviationL
SpokespersonRui Tavares
Founded31 January 2014 (2014-01-31)
Legalised20 March 2014 (2014-03-20)
HeadquartersPraça Olegário Mariano, n.º 5, 2.º esq. 1170–278 Lisbon
Ideology
Political positionCentre-left[6][9]
European affiliation
European Parliament groupGreens/EFA[12]
Colours  Green and   red
Assembly of the Republic
4 / 230
[13]
European Parliament
0 / 21
Regional parliaments
0 / 104
Local government
(Mayors)
1 / 308
Local government
(Parishes)
17 / 3,066
Election symbol
Party flag
Website
partidolivre.pt Edit this at Wikidata

LIVRE[14] (L; lit. 'FREE'), previously known as LIVRE/Tempo de Avançar[15] (lit. 'FREE/Time to Move Forward', L/TDA), is a green political party in Portugal founded in 2014. Its founding principles are ecology, universalism, freedom, equity, solidarity, socialism and Europeanism.[16]

History

Rui Tavares, founder of LIVRE, during its 10th Congress in 2021

In 2011, Left Bloc MEP Rui Tavares departed the party due to disagreements with coordinator Francisco Louçã and began sitting as an independent in European Parliament.[17] Tavares also left the Left Bloc's European Parliament group, GUE-NGL, and began sitting with Greens–European Free Alliance.

In 2014, ahead of that year's European elections, Tavares formed Livre. Its founding congress was 31 January.[18] The party was legalised by the Portuguese Constitutional Court on 20 March 2014.[19] On 20 May 2015, it officially changed its name LIVRE to LIVRE/Tempo de Avançar, with L/TDA as its abbreviation.[20] It switched back to its original name a few years later. Its symbol is a poppy.

In the 2019 legislative election, the party firstly entered parliament, with Joacine Katar Moreira as their sole MP.[21] After several clashes between Katar Moreira and the party's leadership, including accusations that LIVRE only used her to achieve the state mandated subvention due to her being a black woman,[22] the party expelled her from their caucus on 31 January 2020, losing all representation in the Assembly of the Republic.[23]

During the campaign for the 2022 legislative election, Rui Tavares, once again the main candidate from LIVRE, was able to appear in the televised debates due to the party having elected one MP during the previous election.[24] Rui Tavares was elected as the party's sole MP, with LIVRE regaining representation in parliament.[25]

During the 2024 legislative election, LIVRE increased their result to 3.2% and elected 4 MPs: Rui Tavares, Isabel Mendes Lopes (who became the first Parliamentary leader of LIVRE), Jorge Pinto and Paulo Muacho.[26]

In the same year, LIVRE selected Francisco Paupério as the main candidate for the 2024 European Parliament election after his victory in the party primaries, a result that caused some internal turmoil in the party after allegations of electoral fraud.[14] Rui Tavares was later criticized for not being present in the party's campaign for the European elections.[15] In the end, LIVRE achieved 3.8% of the votes, their best result so far, but failed to elect any MEPs.[18]

Political stances

One of the main points of the party's manifesto going into the 2022 Portuguese legislative election was support for a universal basic income.[27] The party also highlighted its support for increasing the national minimum wage to €1,000 per month, extending support for: remote working, pregnant workers, workers with health problems, caregivers and supporting "micro-businesses". The party also supports a Green New Deal for Portugal, lowering VAT from 23% to 6% on vets and pet food, banning bullfighting and legalising cannabis.[28][29]

Election results

Assembly of the Republic

Vote share in the Portuguese legislative elections

Election Main candidate Votes % Seats +/- Government Notes
2015 Rui Tavares 39,330 0.7 (#9)
0 / 230
 New No seats
2019 Joacine Katar Moreira 56,940 1.1 (#9)
1 / 230
0 / 230
 Increase 1

Decrease 1 		Opposition Joacine Katar Moreira was expelled
from the LIVRE caucus in January 2020.
No seats
2022 Rui Tavares 71,232 1.3 (#9)
1 / 230
 Increase 1 Opposition
2024 204,875 3.2 (#7)
4 / 230
 Increase 3 Opposition

Presidential

Election Candidate Votes % Result
2016 Sampaio da Nóvoa 1,062,138 22.9 (#2) Lost Red XN
2021 Ana Gomes 540,823 13.0 (#2) Lost Red XN

European Parliament

Election List leader Votes % Seats +/– EP Group
2014 Rui Tavares 71,495 2.2 (#6)
0 / 21
 –
2019 60,446 1.8 (#8)
0 / 21
 Steady0
2024 Francisco Paupério 148,572 3.8 (#7)
0 / 21
 Steady0

Local elections

The following results include LIVRE led coalitions.

Election Votes % Mayors +/- Councillors +/- Assemblies +/- Parishes +/-
2017 17,417 0.3 (#8)
1 / 308
 New
5 / 2,074
 New
14 / 6,461
 New
56 / 27,019
 New
2021 24,685 0.5 (#10)
1 / 308
 Steady0
7 / 2,604
 Increase2
20 / 6,448
 Increase6
122 / 26,797
 Increase66

Regional Assemblies

Region Election Main candidate Votes % Seats +/- Government
Azores 2016 José Manuel Azevedo 227 0.2 (#11)
0 / 57
 New No seats
2020 362 0.4 (#11)
0 / 57
 Steady0 No seats
2024 735 0.6 (#8)
0 / 57
 Steady0 No seats
Madeira 2023 Tiago Camacho 858 0.6 (#10)
0 / 47
 New No seats
2024 Marta Sofia 911 0.7 (#11)
0 / 47
 Steady0 No seats

References

  1. ^ Nordsieck, Wolfram (2022). "Portugal". Parties and Elections in Europe. Retrieved 1 February 2022.
  2. ^ https://partidolivre.pt/wp-content/uploads/2020/01/LIVRE_IXCongresso_GrupoContacto_2020_MocaoEstrategica_ListaA-1.pdf [bare URL PDF]
  3. ^ IL não é "suficientemente liberal", diz Tavares. E procede a explicação, Notícias ao Minuto (4 February 2022) https://www.noticiasaominuto.com/politica/1926252/rui-tavares-diz-que-iniciativa-liberal-no-suficientemente-liberal
  4. ^ "Declaração de Princípios".
  5. ^ "O eterno retorno do anarquismo". 2 May 2018.
  6. ^ a b Tilo Wagner (24 April 2014). "Upstart Portuguese party wants more Europe". Deutsche Welle. Retrieved 12 November 2015.
  7. ^ Andrei Khalip (8 October 2019). "Portugal president asks Socialist Costa to form government". Euronews. Retrieved 9 October 2019.
  8. ^ Demony, Catarina; Goncalves, Sergio (15 October 2019). "Portugal's new cabinet list approved; Centeno keeps finance job". Reuters. Retrieved 1 February 2022.
  9. ^ [7][8]
  10. ^ European Spring Webpage (retrieved on 17 October 2018)
  11. ^ Livre announcement (retrieved on 19 January 2022)
  12. ^ Maria Lopes (23 May 2014). "Rui Tavares recebe apoio da cúpula dos Verdes europeus". Público (in Portuguese). Retrieved 26 May 2014.
  13. ^ "Livre: "Resultados Globais."". Retrieved 17 March 2024.
  14. ^ a b ACÓRDÃO N.º 316/2017 Tribunal Constitucional. Retrieved 14 August 2017.
  15. ^ a b Paul Mitchell (25 May 2015). "Moves for a "left alliance" government accelerate in Portugal". World Socialist Web Site. International Committee of the Fourth International. Retrieved 29 May 2015.
  16. ^ "Declaração de princípios aprovada na reunião de 16 de novembro de 2013". LIVRE (in Portuguese). 16 November 2013. Retrieved 26 May 2014.
  17. ^ "Rui Tavares diz-se vítima de "caça ao independente" lançada por Louçã". SIC Notícias (in Portuguese). 22 June 2011. Retrieved 27 March 2024.
  18. ^ a b "Partido Livre inicia hoje congresso fundador e de eleição de órgãos". ionline (in Portuguese). 31 January 2014. Retrieved 27 March 2024.
  19. ^ "ACÓRDÃO N.º 255/2014" (in Portuguese). Tribunal Constitucional. 19 March 2014. Retrieved 22 March 2014.
  20. ^ "ACÓRDÃO N.º 283/2015" (in Portuguese). Tribunal Constitucional. 20 May 2015. Retrieved 29 May 2015.
  21. ^ "Joacine Katar Moreira é a primeira deputada negra em Portugal?". Poligrafo (in European Portuguese). Retrieved 11 April 2024.
  22. ^ "Joacine grita ao congresso: "Isto é uma perseguição. Elegeram uma mulher negra que foi útil para a subvenção"". Diário de Notícias (in Portuguese). Retrieved 11 April 2024.
  23. ^ Penela, Rita. "Livre: "A partir deste momento tudo o que Joacine disser ou fizer na ação política não nos representa"". Observador (in European Portuguese). Retrieved 11 April 2024.
  24. ^ Ribeiro, Nuno (15 December 2021). "CNE dá razão ao Livre pela exclusão dos debates eleitorais". Público. Retrieved 11 April 2024.
  25. ^ Pincha, João Pedro (31 January 2022). "A festa de anos do Livre teve a eleição de Rui Tavares como brinde". PÚBLICO (in Portuguese). Retrieved 11 April 2024.
  26. ^ "Livre em êxtase após eleição de grupo parlamentar com quatro deputados". SIC Notícias (in Portuguese). 11 March 2024. Retrieved 11 April 2024.
  27. ^ Renascença (14 January 2022). "Rendimento Básico Incondicional. É mesmo possível e desejável recebermos dinheiro por existirmos? - Renascença". Rádio Renascença (in European Portuguese). Retrieved 25 March 2023.
  28. ^ Martins, Paula (25 January 2022). "The politics of Portugal – who are the parties?". The Portugal News. Retrieved 1 February 2022.
  29. ^ Silva, Lara (31 January 2022). "2022 Portuguese General Election: Socialist Party Wins Majority". Portugal.com. Retrieved 1 February 2022.