Presidential candidate João Cotrim de Figueiredo says he still believes he can reach the run-off “despite the difficult days”. “Yesterday was a particularly difficult day and that may have clouded my judgement and my ability to correct my statements,” he says, once again revising remarks made about Ventura: “I wanted to make it clear that I did not want to commit to any candidate and I ended up committing to all of them; that is what caused the misunderstanding. I was not clear.” He added: “It was a rather unfortunate moment on my part. I accept that I lacked clarity.”
"Yesterday was a particularly difficult day" for Cotrim, but today he woke "with renewed strength": "This will not bring me down"
Tuesday, 13 January 2026RSS
Context & Explainers
- 2026 Presidential Candidate
- Party: Liberal Initiative (IL) Iniciativa Liberal
- Businessman from Lisbon
- Economic Liberalism, reduced state intervention, pro-Europe
João Fernando Cotrim de Figueiredo (born June 24, 1961, in Lisbon) is a businessman and liberal politician running for Portugal's presidency in the January 18, 2026 election. He grew up in Lisbon, studied Economics at the London School of Economics and earned an MBA from NOVA University Lisbon. He held executive positions at Compal, Nutricafés, Privado Holding, and TVI, and served as president of Turismo de Portugal (2013-2016), overseeing tourism industry growth during his tenure. He was elected as the Liberal Initiative's first parliamentary deputy in October 2019, led the party (2019-2023) while it grew from 1 to 8 seats with 5% of votes in 2022, and was elected European Parliament member in 2024. He announced his presidential candidacy in August 2025, backed by the Liberal Initiative.
Political Philosophy:
Cotrim de Figueiredo champions liberal economics—tax reduction, labour market liberalization, and welfare reform—alongside cultural and secular liberalism. His campaign emphasizes "Culture, Knowledge and Growth," positioning himself as representing younger voters alienated by traditional candidates, and explicitly states he expects a "second-round" runoff result. He advocates for a future-prepared Portugal distinct from current political offerings.
