Mendes closes campaign appealing to undecided voters and attacking Ventura and Seguro
Women's speeches marked the final day of the first round of Luís Marques Mendes's presidential campaign. Leonor Beleza and PSD MP Eva Brás Pinho subtly referenced the sexual harassment allegations made against João Cotrim de Figueiredo.
Former aide accusing Cotrim of sexual harassment says 'veracity of the facts' will be determined by the courts
Inês Bichão says that on Monday, 12 January, content originally shared in a restricted, non-public context 'was illicitly disseminated' without her consent.
Statement in the morning, reaction shortly afterwards: an issue troubling Cotrim de Figueiredo
On the penultimate day, the alleged sexual harassment case once again marked João Cotrim de Figueiredo's campaign. In the morning, a former adviser to Iniciativa Liberal issued a statement saying the incidents were reported to the party in 2023. The candidate says he is deeply upset by the matter and claims he is the victim of a character assassination with the complicity of journalists.
Former IL president Rui Rocha insists he never received any complaint against Cotrim
Former Iniciativa Liberal president Rui Rocha said today that he never received any complaint against João Cotrim Figueiredo, who is being accused of sexual harassment by a former parliamentary aide to the party.
Former aide says she reported harassment in 2023; Cotrim criticises journalists
The candidate for Belém accuses the media of echoing an allegation of sexual harassment, which he and the party he once led deny having known about.
Rui Rocha assures he never received any complaint against Cotrim
The former president of Iniciativa Liberal, Rui Rocha, said on Thursday that he never received any complaint against João Cotrim Figueiredo, who is being accused of sexual harassment by a former parliamentary aide of the party. “The accusations that have been discussed in recent days are apparently attributed to the period when I was president of Iniciativa Liberal. ...
Allegation of harassment at IL leadership was shared nearly two years ago at the Book Fair
Authors of the book “#MeToo A Very Public Secret — Sexual Harassment in Portugal” say the alleged victim contacted them in 2024. PÚBLICO witnessed and reported the meeting.
12:00 — Cotrim's alleged sexual harassment reported in 2023
A former aide reported the case internally during 2023 and says the veracity of the facts will be determined in court. Also, Portugal has not seen this many babies born in ten years.
"I cannot have my campaign completely hijacked by this issue": Cotrim says he has "other priorities" besides the harassment complaint
João Cotrim de Figueiredo insists that he “was not aware of the sexual harassment incidents” alleged by a former parliamentary assistant of IL, and laments that his campaign is being “completely hijacked by this issue”.
Cotrim confronts media as accusations rock campaign
A former parliamentary aide to Iniciativa Liberal said she reported alleged sexual harassment by João Cotrim de Figueiredo in 2023 and that an Instagram post about the allegation was shared without her consent; she says the veracity of the facts will be decided in court. The party (IL) denies receiving any internal complaint and Cotrim says he was unaware of accusations and will file a criminal complaint; coverage is split across outlets and includes direct statements from the parties involved. The story is unfolding during the presidential campaign and may influence voter perceptions and media attention in the coming days. Those following the election and campaign developments should watch for legal filings and party responses.
Update: In new coverage Cotrim publicly confronted journalists at a campaign event — saying “Do you have any idea what you have done to my life?” — and again denied prior knowledge of the alleged complaint; several outlets report he plans to lodge a criminal complaint over the dissemination of the story. Observers note continued disagreement between the former aide’s account and IL’s statement that no internal complaint was received, keeping legal action and party responses as the likely next steps.
- 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.
- 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.
Iniciativa Liberal and João Cotrim de Figueiredo tend to draw support from urban, economically liberal voters — often professionals, entrepreneurs and higher‑income residents in cities like Lisbon and Porto — who prioritise lower taxes, deregulation and individual freedoms. The party also attracts some younger voters and expatriates who favour pro‑market policies and a smaller state role.
Can closely fought polls be poor advisers?
Candidates lose their common sense and opt for personal attacks and mudslinging to distance themselves from their opponents. And did the accusation of sexual harassment destroy Cotrim's candidature?
The feminism that accuses Cotrim but ignores Iran
Alberto Gonçalves comments on the allegation of harassment against João Cotrim Figueiredo.
Cotrim Figueiredo links sexual harassment allegation to 'dirty political manoeuvre'
The presidential candidate Cotrim Figueiredo today described the allegation of sexual harassment by a former parliamentary aide of IL as 'the dirtiest kind of political manoeuvre' and urged the Portuguese not to be fooled.
Cotrim Figueiredo links sexual harassment allegation to a 'dirty political manoeuvre'
The presidential candidate reiterated that he has 'nothing to hide' and asks for the confidence of the Portuguese.
From an outstanding academic career to the Secretary of State for Communities: who is Inês Bichão, the woman accusing Cotrim of sexual harassment?
In secondary school she even ran a newspaper. She earned a Law degree, completed several postgraduate qualifications and master's degrees, and has published books. She was an adviser for IL in Parliament and currently works in the office of Secretary of State Emídio Sousa.
