Rui Rio

Rui Rio
GCIH
Rio in March 2018
President of the Social Democratic Party
In office
16 February 2018 – 3 July 2022
Secretary-GeneralFeliciano Barreiras Duarte
José Silvano
Preceded byPedro Passos Coelho
Succeeded byLuís Montenegro
Mayor of Porto
In office
8 January 2002 – 22 October 2013
Preceded byNuno Cardoso
Succeeded byRui Moreira
Secretary-General of the Social Democratic Party
In office
31 March 1996 – 20 June 1997
PresidentMarcelo Rebelo de Sousa
Preceded byEduardo Azevedo Soares
Succeeded byCarlos Horta e Costa
Member of the Assembly of the Republic
In office
25 October 2019 – 14 September 2022
ConstituencyPorto
In office
4 November 1991 – 4 April 2002
ConstituencyPorto
Personal details
Born
Rui Fernando da Silva Rio

(1957-08-06) 6 August 1957 (age 66)
Porto, Portugal
Political partySocial Democratic Party
SpouseLídia Azevedo
Children1
EducationColégio Alemão do Porto
Alma materUniversity of Porto

Rui Fernando da Silva Rio GCIH (born 6 August 1957) is a Portuguese economist and retired politician of the Social Democratic Party (PSD).[1] He was the Mayor of Porto from 2002 to 2013. Between 2018 and 2022, he was President of the PSD and Leader of the Opposition.

Education

Rio studied at the Colégio Alemão do Porto (the German School of Porto), and earned his degree in economics at the University of Porto, where he was president of the Student Association, at the time the only Student Association that was not led by members of the Communist Party, and a member of the Pedagogical Council.[2]

Professional career

As an economist, he began his professional life in the textile industry,[3] having, after completing his military service, also worked in the metalmechanics industry.

In the mid-1980’s, he began his path in the banking sector. Within the management[4] of Banco Comercial Português, he was responsible for setting up financial operations in the primary market, for the listing process of the Stock Exchange, for the study and design of new financial products and also for part of the human resources’ training in the Capital Markets area.

Since January 2014, he had resumed his activity[5] at Millennium BCP, joining the Investment Committee of the Millennium Capitalization Fund, even though he is an independent and non-executive member.[6]

He is Vice-President of the General Assembly of the Order of Chartered Accountants.[7] He was also the financial director of the CIN[8] paint factory, with special responsibility for the company’s relationship with the Capital Markets.

He held the positions of[8] member of the Supervisory Board of Caixa Geral de Depósitos (CGD), of non-executive director of the company Metro do Porto and Chairman of 32 Senses SGPS.

After having interrupted his activity as an economist during the period in which he was professionally active in politics, in March 2014 he took on positions at[9] Boyden - Executive Search and at Neves de Almeida | HR Consulting, companies in the area of human resources management.

He was President of the general meeting[10] of the Northern Regional Section Bureau of the Order of Economists.

He published Política In Situ [11](2002) and Analysis of the Regional Distribution of Public Investment (Análise à Distribuição Regional do Investimento Público[12]) (1999), with articles published in the newspapers O Comércio do Porto, Público and Diário Económico. He was distinguished with [12] the Marketing Cities and Regions Personality Award in 2004 and, in 2005, with the Alfredo César Torres Award. In 2012, he won the Career Award[12] from the Faculty of Economics of Porto.

In 2014, his biography entitled Rui Rio - de Corpo Inteiro[13] by Mário Jorge de Carvalho was published. A year later, in 2015, the book Rui Rio - Raizes de Aço[14], authored by Carlos Mota Cardoso was published.

Political career

Rio began his political career as part of the Juventude Social-Democrata (JSD), the Social Democrats' youth organization. He was Vice President of its National Political Commission from 1982 to 1984. At the same time he was a member of the National Political Commission of the Social Democratic Party, under Pinto Balsemão and later Mota Pinto. He was also deputy to the Assembly of the Republic, elected for Porto, between 1991 and 2001. He was, during this period. From 2002 to 2005, he was vice-president,[15] under leaders Durão Barroso and, subsequently, Pedro Santana Lopes.[16] Repeating the position, between 2008 [17] and 2010, with Manuela Ferreira Leite. Between 1996 and 1998, he was Vice President of the Instituto Sá Carneiro. From 2003 to 2005 he was President of the Eixo Atlântico do Noroeste Peninsular.

Mayor of Porto, 2001–2013

In 2001, Rio was elected president of the City Hall of Porto. After 2001, Rio was reelected Mayor of Porto, with absolute majority in 2005, against Francisco Assis,[18] and in 2009, against Elisa Ferreira.[19] His third and final term ended on the 22 October 2013, having been, to date, the mayor who, in the history, has longest presided its destinies. He was president of the Eixo Atlântico do Noroeste Peninsular, between 2003 and 2005. His term ended on 22 October 2013, when the new mayor Rui Moreira took office.[20]

Leader of the PSD, 2018–2022

In 2018, Rio won the race to become leader of the PSD after campaigning to hold the party on a centrist line.[21] On the leadership election held on 13 February 2018, Rio defeated his more conservative rival, former Prime Minister Pedro Santana Lopes, winning 54 percent of votes from PSD party members.

Ending the animosity that followed the 2015 legislative election and nudging the PSD closer to the center, Rio and Prime Minister António Costa signed an agreement in April 2018 which covered cooperation on a reform intended to give more powers to municipalities, as well as on a 12-year strategy to keep using European Union structural funds for development.[22] Under his leadership, the PSD also backed the Socialists in areas such as labor law reform and defense.[23]

Amid criticism at his leadership, Rio won a confidence motion by 75 to 50 votes in the party's National Council in early 2019, only after a 10-hour debate.[24] In January 2020, Rio fended off another leadership challenge on a promise to keep the leading opposition force on a centrist course. In the party's 2020 leadership election, he scored 53 percent in a runoff vote against the party's former parliamentary spokesman Luís Montenegro, who demanded a more aggressive opposition to António Costa's Socialist Party following the Social Democrats' worst result in over 30 years in the parliamentary elections the previous October.[25]

On 27 November 2021, he was re-elected President of the PSD for the third time,[26] winning 18,852 votes, against Paulo Rangel, who collected 17,106 votes. He took office on 17 December 2021, at the 39th National Congress of the Party,[27] which took place in Santa Maria da Feira, under the motto "New Horizons for Portugal".

In the 2022 Portuguese legislative election, the Social Democrats lost 2 seats, taking them to 77 seats in the Assembly.[28] In the aftermath of the election, Rio announced he would call early internal elections on which he would not run again for party leader.[29][30]

On 28 May 2022, the day Luís Montenegro was elected leader of the Social Democratic Party, Rui Rio announced his departure from active politics.[31]

On 12 September 2022, Rui Rio resigned his Assembly of the Republic seat, which became effective two days later.[32]

Political positions

Rio was a critic of austerity and has sought to distance himself from the remedies adopted by Pedro Passos Coelho and the European troika in response to the eurozone economic crisis and the Economic Adjustment Programme for Portugal. On social issues, as a centrist, he is to the left of his party as a supporter of abortion rights, euthanasia and legalizing cannabis for medicinal purposes.[21]

Criticism of Freemasonry

Following his party's internal elections, which he disputed against Luís Montenegro and Miguel Pinto Luz, Rio stated that Freemasonry "is everywhere" and trying to "condition Portuguese society" by giving this organization obscure and untransparent motivations.[33] Rio's statements were a response to Paulo Mota Pinto, who referred to Rio for further clarification on the alleged "dark interests" who want to dominate the party. Rio made statements in January 2019 regarding Montenegro's Freemansonry ties.[34]

Rio admitted to perceiving Paulo Mota Pinto's reference and replied: "When I am talking about secret, obscure, little transparent interests, I am referring clearly to Freemasonry." He further went on saying that he "senses" that the Freemasons "are everywhere and trying to condition many things", and that he has "no doubt about that". Rio clarified that if he denied such influences he would be a "hypocrite" and that he is the only one with enough courage to criticize the Freemasons' influence.[35]

Personal life

Rui Rio is married with Lídia Azevedo. The couple has a daughter, Marta.

Rui Rio is a supporter of Boavista F.C.. He enjoys playing drums and is a fan of American blues guitarist B. B. King.[36][37] Rio is also enthusiastic about old cars and promoted old car races as mayor of Porto, resurrecting the Boavista Circuit. He also salvaged a 1969 Mercedes 280S which had been long stored in a municipal garage; this vehicle was restored and regularly used by Rio as official car during his term as mayor. He personally owns a 1970 Simca 1000 and has been seen driving it publicly several times.[38][39]

Honours

Electoral history

PSD leadership election, 2018

Ballot: 13 January 2018
Candidate Votes %
Rui Rio 22,728 54.2
Pedro Santana Lopes 19,244 45.8
Blank/Invalid ballots 683 –
Turnout 42,655 60.34
Source: Official results

PSD leadership election, 2020

Ballot: 11 and 18 January 2020
Candidate 1st round 2nd round
Votes % Votes %
Rui Rio 15,546 49.0 17,157 53.2
Luís Montenegro 13,137 41.4 15,086 46.8
Miguel Pinto Luz 3,030 9.6  
Blank/Invalid ballots 369 – 341 –
Turnout 32,082 79.01 32,582 80.20
Source: Official results

PSD leadership election, 2021

Ballot: 27 November 2021
Candidate Votes %
Rui Rio 18,852 52.4
Paulo Rangel 17,106 47.6
Blank/Invalid ballots 518 –
Turnout 36,476 78.17
Source: Official results

See also

References

  1. ^ Giannetti, Daniela; Benoit, Kenneth (3 December 2008). Intra-party politics and coalition governments. Taylor & Francis US. pp. 70–. ISBN 978-0-415-46225-9. Retrieved 5 July 2011.
  2. ^ "Artigo de apoio Infopédia - Rui Rio". Infopédia - Dicionários Porto Editora (in Portuguese). Retrieved 1 December 2019.
  3. ^ Infopédia. "Rui Rio - Infopédia". Infopédia - Porto Editora (in Portuguese). Retrieved 20 May 2022.
  4. ^ Sarmento, António (21 April 2018). "Rui Rio: perfil do político que poupa todos os meses uma parte do salário". O Jornal Económico (in European Portuguese). Retrieved 20 May 2022.
  5. ^ "Rui Rio no BCP a partir de 1 de Janeiro". www.dn.pt (in European Portuguese). 20 December 2013. Retrieved 20 May 2022.
  6. ^ "Rui Rio no Millennium BCP". Semanario SOL (in Portuguese). 20 December 2013. Retrieved 1 December 2019.
  7. ^ Certificados, Ordem dos Contabilistas. ""Rui Rio - De corpo inteiro" apresentado a 11 de dezembro, em Lisboa". www.occ.pt. Retrieved 20 May 2022.
  8. ^ a b Dinis, Rita. "Rui Rio. Um político anti-sistema que precisa de conquistar o aparelho". Observador (in European Portuguese). Retrieved 20 May 2022.
  9. ^ "Boyden abre no Porto 15 meses depois da saída de Rui Rio". www.jornaldenegocios.pt (in European Portuguese). Retrieved 20 May 2022.
  10. ^ "Ordem dos Economistas: Notícia - Tomada de Posse dos Órgãos Regionais da DRN-OE". www.ordemeconomistas.pt. Retrieved 20 May 2022.
  11. ^ "A Política in Situ". PSD (in European Portuguese). Retrieved 20 May 2022.
  12. ^ a b c "Rui Rio". PSD (in European Portuguese). Retrieved 20 May 2022.
  13. ^ Rui Rio - De Corpo Inteiro, Mário Jorge Carvalho - Porto Editora.
  14. ^ "Rui Rio - Raizes de Aço - Livro - WOOK". www.wook.pt (in European Portuguese). Retrieved 20 May 2022.
  15. ^ "XXIV Congresso Nacional". PSD (in European Portuguese). Retrieved 20 May 2022.
  16. ^ "XXVI Congresso Nacional". PSD (in European Portuguese). Retrieved 20 May 2022.
  17. ^ "XXXI Congresso Nacional". PSD (in European Portuguese). Retrieved 20 May 2022.
  18. ^ "Francisco Assis promete "oposição séria e clara" na Câmara do Porto". PÚBLICO (in Portuguese). 9 October 2005. Retrieved 20 May 2022.
  19. ^ "Elisa Ferreira admite derrota, mas frisa "grande movimento cívico" à volta de sua candidatura". TSF Rádio Notícias (in European Portuguese). 11 October 2009. Retrieved 20 May 2022.
  20. ^ "Rui Moreira dedica vitória ao pai". www.dn.pt (in European Portuguese). October 2013. Retrieved 20 May 2022.
  21. ^ a b Paul Ames (January 14, 2018), Centrist elected to lead Portugal’s opposition party Politico Europe.
  22. ^ Andrei Khalip (April 18, 2018), Portugal government, opposition agree to cooperate after feud Reuters.
  23. ^ Paul Ames (January 19, 2020), Rui Rio clings on as Portugal’s centre-right leader Politico Europe.
  24. ^ Paul Ames (January 18, 2019), Portugal’s opposition woes Politico Europe.
  25. ^ Paul Ames (January 19, 2020), Rui Rio clings on as Portugal’s center-right leader Politico Europe.
  26. ^ "Rui Rio reeleito líder do PSD. Rangel promete "lealdade" e pede "unidade"". www.dn.pt (in European Portuguese). 27 November 2021. Retrieved 13 May 2022.
  27. ^ "ELEIÇÕES DIRETAS | 39.º CONGRESSO". PSD (in European Portuguese). Retrieved 13 May 2022.
  28. ^ "PS consegue os dois deputados da Europa. PSD tem pior resultado do que em 2019". www.dn.pt (in European Portuguese). 23 March 2022. Retrieved 20 May 2022.
  29. ^ Soares Botelho, Pedro (31 January 2022). "Auf Wiedersehen? Perante a derrota, Rui Rio pergunta como pode ser ser útil ao partido". SAPO (in Portuguese). Retrieved 31 January 2022.
  30. ^ Ropio, Nuno Miguel (5 April 2022). "Diretas no PSD podem ser adiadas porque Rui Rio não se demitiu formalmente (e em português)" [Internal elections in the PSD may be postponed because Rui Rio did not resign formally (and in Portuguese)]. Visão. Retrieved 14 May 2022.
  31. ^ "O adeus de Rui Rio: "O meu futuro político não é nenhum. Acabou aqui. Ponto final parágrafo"". Expresso (in European Portuguese). 28 May 2022. Retrieved 31 May 2022.
  32. ^ "Rui Rio renuncia a mandato de deputado do PSD". SIC Notícias (in European Portuguese). 12 September 2022. Retrieved 15 September 2022.
  33. ^ "Rui Rio: 'A maçonaria tenta condicionar muitas coisas'". Semanario SOL (in Portuguese). 30 November 2019. Retrieved 1 December 2019.
  34. ^ Benevides, Pedro. "Análise: Da maçonaria à falta de ética. Os golpes de Rio e os ataques mais duros a Luís Montenegro". Observador (in European Portuguese). Retrieved 1 December 2019.
  35. ^ "Rui Rio diz que a Maçonaria está "a tentar condicionar muitas coisas" no país". www.dnoticias.pt (in European Portuguese). Retrieved 1 December 2019.
  36. ^ "Rui Rio, o líder de educação rígida, a quem os amigos chamam "forreta"". sicnoticias.pt (in Portuguese). SIC Notícias. Retrieved 31 January 2024.
  37. ^ "Rio à bateria: "Já fui um conquistador...."". sicnoticias.pt (in Portuguese). Expresso. Retrieved 31 January 2024.
  38. ^ "Rio foi à garagem da Câmara reabilitar o Mercedes 280" (in Portuguese). Correio da Manhã. Retrieved 31 January 2024.
  39. ^ "Rui Rio e a paixão por automóveis antigos" (in Portuguese). Jornal de Notícias. Retrieved 31 January 2024.
  40. ^ "Cidadãos Nacionais Agraciados com Ordens Portuguesas". Página Oficial das Ordens Honoríficas Portuguesas. Retrieved 13 July 2016.
  41. ^ a b c d e "Cidadãos Nacionais Agraciados com Ordens Estrangeiras". Página Oficial das Ordens Honoríficas Portuguesas. Retrieved 31 July 2017.

External links

  • Profile on website of the Assembly of the Republic
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