Lisbon’s mayor, Carlos Moedas, has secured re-election in the city’s municipal vote, less than six weeks after a devastating funicular crash killed 16 people, including 11 tourists, and sparked public outrage.
Leading a right-of-centre coalition, Mr Moedas garnered 42 per cent of the vote in Lisbon, compared with 34 per cent for second-placed left-of-centre leader Alexandra Leitão. These official results were published late on Sunday.
The mayor had previously rejected any blame for the September 3 incident, described as one of Lisbon’s worst tragedies in living memory, and declined to resign.
His four-year term as mayor has also brought criticism of his policies on housing, immigration and trash collection as Lisbon creaks under the strain of a surge in tourists and a steep climb in real estate prices.
Lisbon residents blamed overtourism for putting a strain on funicular services and causing the crash. Fabiana Pavel, president of the Bairro Alto Residents’ Association, told the BBC that the funicular had been disproportionately used by tourists in recent years.
However, a preliminary report said problems with a cable likely caused the crash, and a new mechanism was being designed by a team of experts to to ensure the safety of the Gloria funicular railway.
Moedas, 55, is viewed as a rising star in Portugal’s center-right Social Democratic Party and is widely regarded as a potential future prime minister.
His election as mayor four years ago was a common career route for politicians eyeing higher office, with political responsibility for the capital regarded as a stepping stone.
