More than 7,000 voters from São Tomé residing in Portugal are called to vote on September 25 in the legislatures of São Tomé and Príncipe, in which the diaspora votes this year for the first time, the embassy reported.
In Portugal, the vote takes place simultaneously with the territory of São Tomé – between 7:00 am and 5:00 pm local time, from 8:00 am to 6:00 pm in Lisbon, the first secretary of the embassy, Nilson Lima, told Lusa.
Voters in Portugal, who along with voters in the UK, France, Belgium and Luxembourg elect a MEP for Europe, can vote at 15 polling stations in various locations around the country.
in the great Lisbon there will be three electoral colleges in the Municipality of Amadora, two in the Cultural Center of Sacavém and one in Apelação (Loures), in addition to three tables on the south bank: one in the Clube de Instrução e Recreio do Laranjeiro (Almada), one in the Parish Council of Amora (Seixal) and another that should be in an auditorium in the center of Barreiro.
The consulate of São Tomé and Príncipe in Porto will have a polling station and it will also be possible to vote at the Coimbra City Hall, at the Polytechnic Institute of Guarda, at the Polytechnic Institute of Braga.
The embassy is still waiting for confirmation that it will be possible to vote in the Aveiro City Hall and in the municipality of Nazaré.
Although these are the first legislative elections in which São Toméans can vote in the diaspora, Nilson Lima says that the process will be identical to that of the presidential ones.
The official was confident that abstention among voters residing in Portugal, that in the presidential elections last year was around 40%it will be smaller this time, because it is the first time and because the deputation of the circle of Europe will be decided mainly in this European country, where the community of São Tomé is more expressive.
The voters of São Tomé will also elect a deputy for the circle of Africa, and for this they will be able to vote in Angola, Cape Verde, Equatorial Guinea and Gabon.
In total, ten parties and one coalition are running for legislative elections in São Tomé and Príncipe: Movement for the Liberation of São Tomé and Príncipe / Social Democratic Party (MLSTP/PSD); Independent Democratic Action (ADI); Enough; Democratic Movement Force for Change/Liberal Union (MDFM/UL); Union for Democracy and Development (UDD); CID-STP, Trade Union Movement for Broad Development (Muda); New Party; Social Democratic Movement/Green Party of São Tomé and Príncipe (MSD-PVSTP); All Saints Party (PTOS) and the Movement of Independent Citizens/Socialist Party/National Unity Party coalition.
In dispute is the election of 55 deputies to the National Assembly of São Tomé and Príncipe, including two who for the first time will be elected by constituencies in Europe and Africa.
ADI was the party with the most votes in the 2018 elections, electing 25 deputies, followed by MLSTP/PSD, which won 23 seats.
The coalition then formed by the Democratic Convergence Party (PCD, the second opposition party), the UDD and the MDFM, was the third party with the most votes, obtaining five seats. The Movement of Independent Citizens of São Tomé and Príncipe/Socialist Party (MCI/PS) held two seats in parliament.
The MLSTP and the PCD-UDD-MDFM coalition formed the so-called ‘new majority’ and constituted a government, headed by Jorge Bom Jesus.
The day 25, also the regional government of Principe goes to votetwo from the Union for Change and Progress of Principe (UMPP), headed by the current president, Filipe Nascimento, and the Movimento Verde para o Desenvolvimento do Principe (MVDP) and MLSTP/PSD coalition, headed by Nestor Umbelina.
The 123,302 voters of Santo Tomé are still called to elect the presidents of the mayors.
Source: Observadora
