The 2025Setúbal local election will be held in 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, is running 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 and is supported now by the PSD and the CDS–PP, while former PSD MP Lina Lopes is running as the CHEGA candidate.[1] 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]
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 5 seats to the city council, thus losing it's absolute majority, beating the Socialist Party (PS) candidate Fernando José, who got 27.7% of the votes and 4 seats, while the Social Democratic Party (PSD) candidate Fernando Negrão got 16.6% of the votes and elected 2 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]
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