The Mayor of Lisbon, Carlos Moedas, suspended a meeting of the Lisbon Municipal Chamber on November 4, 2026, following a heated discussion over the cost of cleaning Rossio square, a site of recent housing rights protests. According to Ricardo Moreira, a councilor from the Left Bloc, Moedas stated that the cleaning costs had reached 150,000 euros. This figure was disputed by Moreira and Socialist councilor Pedro Anastácio, who demanded more information from the PSD/CDS-PP/IL administration.
The dispute led to Moedas suspending the private meeting, which had started at 09:30, before the order of business was even addressed. The Mayor reportedly said he wouldn't accept being called a liar and walked out. The Municipal Chamber confirmed that Moedas suspended the meeting due to "inappropriate behavior by an opposition councilor." The meeting was later reconvened at 11:30 without Moedas and a opposition motion was voted on, questioning the legitimacy of the suspension.
The opposition motion, presented by Socialist councilor Alexandra Leitão, argued that the suspension didn't follow the Chamber's rules. The motion was approved with votes from PS, Livre, BE, PCP, and Chega. The PSD/CDS-PP/IL bloc, which holds the majority, voted against it. According to the Chamber's rules, the Mayor can suspend meetings under "exceptional circumstances," but the PS argued that no such circumstances existed in this case.
Pedro Anastácio, a Socialist councilor, expressed concern that Moedas has a problem with scrutiny and can't handle criticism. Anastácio mentioned that Moedas initially stated the cost of cleaning graffiti from a statue was around 100,000 euros, but a court later ruled that this cost was "not proven." The councilor emphasized that it's his duty to scrutinize the Mayor's work and that he won't be deterred.
The Municipal Chamber responded to questions about the cleaning costs, stating that the 150,000 euro figure refers to the total cleaning of Rossio square and its surroundings. The costs include resources, vehicles, and equipment, as well as the number of hours needed to clean the area. Anastácio accused Moedas of being uncomfortable with being caught in a lie and responding by victimizing himself.
Other councilors also criticized Moedas' actions. The Livre party accused him of violating the rules by suspending the meeting without a vote, while the PCP stated that the suspension was made outside of the rules. Chega's Bruno Mascarenhas questioned Moedas about the potential cancellation of the Christmas market in Rossio square due to the presence of housing protest tents.
The controversy highlights ongoing tensions between the Lisbon Municipal Chamber and opposition councilors over issues like housing and transparency. Moedas' actions have been seen as heavy-handed by some, while others argue that the Mayor is simply trying to manage the city's affairs effectively. The debate is likely to continue in the coming weeks.
Key points
- Lisbon Mayor Carlos Moedas suspended a council meeting due to a dispute over the 150,000 euro cost of cleaning Rossio square.
- The opposition argued that the suspension was made outside of the Chamber's rules and was a sign of Moedas' discomfort with scrutiny.
- The controversy highlights ongoing tensions between the Lisbon Municipal Chamber and opposition councilors over issues like housing and transparency.
