Just one more thing 150.000 €. This was the budget allocated. offer In Marcelo Rebelo de Sousa’s 2016 presidential election, it’s up to five times less than some of its rivals. and you 45,000 left. But Rebelo de Sousa, known to everyone as Marcelo in Portugal, had capital that none of his competitors had: media. High presence of the current Portuguese president for nearly 15 years mediawhen many thought his political life was over, he took it back to the top. front line He won the 2016 elections with 52% of the votes in the first round. He added more than the other nine candidates combined.
Correspondent for the public channel RTP Sandra Sa Couto he followed this campaign closely and wrote a doctoral thesis on how Rebelo de Sousa came first. “famous president” from Portugal. This thesis became a book of the same name, ‘Famous president’ (Primeira Edição), which was recently presented in the country.
Unique and unrepeatable campaign
“We journalists soon realized that offer Leading Marcelo Rebelo de Sousa to the presidency unique and unrepeatable”, explains Sá Couto to EL PERIÓDICO of the Prensa Ibérica group. “The election campaign had no traditional element: no flag, no anthem, no electoral law… It was a completely different campaign, created by a team of only seven.” to the island no introduction neededsince I’ve been doing it for years weekly comment on one of the major television networks, TVI, Sunday nights at prime time. “People I used to listen to Rebelo de Sousa every Sunday he comments on all the issues of the country”, says Sá Couto.
The current president started commenting on current politics since 2000shortly after his resignation as leader of the conservative Social Democratic Party (PSD) and head of the opposition. “He started giving notes to politicians on the radio, commenting on everything, even giving news. Even though she stayed away from her mother-in-law, people knew that He would not defend his party. but he criticized everyone without discrimination. It was a distant and knowledgeable conversation,” said the author, adding that the presence of the current president in the media Designed as “custom” for one person future candidacy for the president.
popular politician
In addition to this alienation from her mother-in-law, she also had talent. catch the discontent of a society that has left its mark and has gone through difficult years. triple intervention and the austerity policies supported by the then prime minister Pedro Passos Coelho, again from the PSD. Rebelo de Sousa during the Socialist Party’s campaign, which came shortly after the 2015 parliamentary elections, when it came to power thanks to a historic deal with left-wing parties He knew how to capitalize on his notoriety. in the media to exploit profile close to peopleit was the complete opposite of the image of a politician who was increasingly estranged from reality.
According to Sá Couto, the closeness he always shows with people through hugs, kisses and selfies also has a bit of calculation and premeditation. “Despite everything becoming clear a month before the elections, Rebelo de Sousa Everything has been thought out to the smallest detail.. Improvisation is always thought through, he knows what to talk about and what to say. One of his achievements Politician why at the same level as citizens, but it is also above because it dominates politics and matters of general interest. This picture who have to be citizens like others also built”.
the role of the media
That image was also fed mediaand not just those for whom Rebelo de Sousa has made weekly comments for years. In the book, Sá Couto analyzes the treatment three major newspapers He handed it to the country’s current president in the months before and after the 2016 campaign. most used adjectives In nearly one hundred editorial and opinion articles reviewed, big, close anyone powerful. “The first part of Rebelo de Sousa’s tenure was highly praised by Portuguese journalists. In fact, he was baptized as presidency of loveas a way of describing this intimacy”.
The cunning of the president and the friendly treatment of the media helped him maintain his high popularity, and he won another victory in the 2021 presidential election. 62% of the vote, ten points more than previous elections. However, Sá Couto political attrition It is also striking in the current head of state, which is the subject of some. recent discussions. It is not unusual for Marcelo to have to clarify some of his statements; It other face from someone with a lot of media exposure. We will have to wait a few months to find out how Rebelo de Sousa’s term ends.”