Mariana Leitão, leader of the Liberal Initiative (Iniciativa Liberal or IL), urged Prime Minister Luís Montenegro to follow through on pledges to put vacant public buildings on the rental market. Speaking during a visit to Castelo Branco, Leitão pointed to more than 100 empty state-owned properties in the city that could house families facing housing shortages. She also rejected rent control policies, arguing they restrict supply, and criticised the removal of regional infrastructure funding from the upcoming state budget.
Liberal Initiative Demands Government Release Vacant State Properties
Saturday, 17 October 2026AI summary
Context & Explainers
Mariana Leitão is the president of the Liberal Initiative (Iniciativa Liberal), a liberal political party in Portugal. She is presenting a policy document titled "Lift Portugal - Build Now, Conquer the Future" to the prime minister, and her proposals could affect economic and regulatory reforms that residents and businesses should watch.
- Leader: Mariana Leitão (since July 2025)
- Ideology: Classical liberalism, economic libertarianism
Founded in 2017, the Liberal Initiative advocates for reduced state intervention, tax simplification, labor market liberalization, and secular liberalism under the motto "Less State, More Freedom". The party gained its first parliamentary seat in 2019 and now holds 9 seats. Mariana Leitão, 42, became the party's first female leader in July 2025 after Rui Rocha resigned following disappointing 2025 election results. Leitão previously served as parliamentary leader and has been announced as the party's candidate for the 2026 presidential election. The party explicitly rejects alliances with both far-left and far-right parties, positioning itself as the "only alternative" that won't negotiate with extremes.
