Marlene Guerreiro is the first female president in the council’s 110-year history and the first former council employee to be elected as leader.
One of the notable things about visiting the council offices in São Brás de Alportel is how many staff greet those of us waiting with a jovial ‘bom dia’. Is this a testament to the council or to the municipality itself? It’s probably a little of both because, in so many ways, the people of São Brás are the municipal council. A prime example of this being the life and work of its new president, Marlene Guerreiro.
Marlene has lived and worked in the locality for most of her life – save for furthering her education in Lisbon and Barcelona – and her parents have lived there for the best part of eighty years. She joined the council in her early twenties, working on its communications team, and has since gone on to serve as a councillor, vice-president, and, since November, president. In one shape or another, she’s devoted her life to the municipality. If she feels any pressure being the first female president, then it pales into insignificance when compared to the responsibility she feels to improve life for local people. “I now work and care for the people I shared my childhood with,” she said.
While well-prepared for the role of president, the election was something new as Marlene was ‘out front’ leading the Socialist Party’s (PS) campaign. It was a challenge she enjoyed. She’s a well-known figure and is often seen walking to and from work – she lives in the town in what she describes as a “normal apartment”. As for the election result – one that provided the PS with a healthy working majority – she described it as being very emotional, telling me how she (quite understandably) shed tears of joy when hearing of their victory. She has promised to be a “caring and attentive” president.
The election could have gone another way, of course, but, in reality, the PS has dominated politics in the region for the last 35 years. To what does she credit their success? “I think people have seen the progress we have made. Compared to other municipalities in the Algarve, we are still quite young – almost a teenager if you like – and people have been with us from the start and seen the infrastructure improvements and the foundations we have built. They want to continue this journey together.”
It’s not politics that drives Marlene; it’s the opportunity to make life better for the people she serves and grew up with. Housing, education and health are high amongst her priorities, including the opening of a new health centre and increased support for the most disadvantaged. Public safety and economic development are other areas where she’s keen to make improvements, including better conditions for entrepreneurs. The challenges, including the financial ones, are real – the schools are full, so new facilities are needed, and there have been longstanding issues with parts of the National 2 (N2) road, with Marlene and colleagues recently meeting national representatives in an effort to find a solution.
Social cohesion is another important topic. São Brás de Alportel is a town that has seen great improvements in recent years to its road network and infrastructure and now has the opportunity to enhance its cultural, social and sporting facilities. As Marlene said, “I want to give our people the chance to grow and prosper. I believe opportunities are everything and that’s what I want to do – create opportunities.”
