It is confirmed: José Manuel Pureza, 66 years old, former parliamentary leader and deputy during three legislatures, was approved this Sunday (November 2) as the first name of motion A (which has a majority on the National Board of the Left Bloc) to succeed Mariana Mortáguacurrent coordinator who will leave the leadership of BE.
The name of José Manuel Pureza was already circulating as the main favorite to succeed Mortágua, but confirmation only arrived in the early evening of this Sunday, after the plenary that motion A held in Coimbra (the city where José Manuel Pureza is from). At the end of the meeting, Miguel Cardina, party leader, explained that, although the first name is not new, the list that motion A presents to the next national convention, “is renewed and rejuvenated”with an average age of 38 years. Almost half of the names (48%) appear for the first time on a candidate list for the leadership of the Bloco de Esquerda.
José Manuel Pureza has a degree in Law and a PhD in Sociology. In addition to being a parliamentary leader and deputy, he was also vice-president of the Assembly of the Republic. In the last municipal elections, he was a candidate for Coimbra City Council, obtaining 2.86% of the votes.
The national convention of the Bloco de Esquerda, which will decide the new direction of the party and to which four other motions in addition to A are competing, takes place on the 29th and 30th of November. According to Miguel Cardina, the lists presented by motion A had a very high approval rate. For the national table, the list presented by motion A had 94% votes in favor; for the political committee 92% and for the rights committee 96%. According to the bloc leader, José Manuel Pureza is a “very confident” choice, a “necessary choice in these times that the Bloc is facing”.
However – and despite the majority that motion A has on the national table -, Cardina said that it is necessary to “respect the internal democracy” of the party and that the five motions are having “their debates, making their lists, electing their delegates” for the next convention.