Rita Santos trades Portuguese Communities for AL-run

The president of the Regional Council of the Portuguese Communities for Asia and Oceania, Rita Santos, has suspended her mandate.

In a statement to the media, the Council noted Santos’ decision to “fully dedicate herself to supporting the election process for the new Chief Executive of the Macau Special Administrative Region and to her participation in the elections for the Legislative Assembly (AL) of Macau in 2025.”

Santos confirmed she will run for a seat at the AL next year together with lawmaker José Pereira Coutinho in an interview with public broadcaster TDM.

The suspension of the mandate is in line with the recently approved rules for AL elections, which provide that those members of any parliament or legislative assembly of a foreign State, members of the government, or public administration workers of a foreign State cannot be lawmakers.

Santos noted that by running for an AL seat, she hopes to have a more influential voice representing the interests of Macau’s Portuguese communities.

The same statement said Santos sees in these tasks a stage for new opportunities to contribute to the progress and representation of Portuguese citizens in the region, adding that during the transition period, Councillors Rui Marcelo and Marília Coutinho will continue to represent the China Circle, with the third post to be taken by Luís Nunes.