João Cotrim de Figueiredo
João Cotrim de Figueiredo | |
|---|---|
 Official portrait, 2024 | |
| 3rd President of the Liberal Initiative | |
| In office 8 December 2019 – 22 January 2023 | |
| Secretary-General | Miguel Rangel |
| Preceded by | Carlos Guimarães Pinto |
| Succeeded by | Rui Rocha |
| Member of the European Parliament for Portugal | |
| Assumed office 16 July 2024 | |
| Member of the Assembly of the Republic | |
| In office 25 October 2019 – 25 March 2024 | |
| Constituency | Lisbon |
| Personal details | |
| Born | João Fernando Cotrim de Figueiredo 24 June 1961 Lisbon, Portugal |
| Political party | Liberal Initiative |
| Children | 3 |
| Alma mater | London School of Economics NOVA University Lisbon |
| Occupation | Businessman • Politician |
João Fernando Cotrim de Figueiredo (born 24 June 1961) is a Portuguese businessman and Liberal Initiative politician. He was the party's first member of the Assembly of the Republic, for Lisbon, in October 2019. He was the leader of the party between October 2019 and January 2023, during which the party won eight seats in the 2022 election. He was elected a Member of the European Parliament in the 2024 European election, and is a candidate in the 2026 Portuguese presidential election.
Education and career
Cotrim de Figueiredo was born and grew up in Lisbon, where he sold clothes hangers door-to-door for a company established by his great-grandfather. He attended the German School Lisbon before studying Economics at the London School of Economics, and then obtained a Masters in Business Administration from the NOVA University Lisbon.[1][2]
While studying in the British capital, Cotrim de Figueiredo supported himself with jobs including serving cocktails at the Serpentine Galleries, later reflecting that workers were looked at with contempt at such events.[3] He said that he lived on Brussels sprouts due to their low cost and versatility.[2]
Cotrim de Figueiredo worked in executive positions at Compal, Nutricafés, Privado Holding and TVI. In 2015 he was elected vice president of the European Travel Commission. He was the president of Turismo de Portugal – a government-appointed post – from December 2013 to February 2016.[1][2]
Politics
In July 2019, Cotrim de Figueiredo was chosen to head the Liberal Initiative's list in Lisbon for the October legislative elections.[4] He became the party's only Assembly member, in their first elections.[5]
After the resignation of Carlos Guimarães Pinto, Cotrim de Figueiredo ran for leader of the party in December 2019 and was elected with 96% of the votes.[6]
In the snap election in January 2022, the Liberal Initiative received 5% of all votes, rising from one seat to eight and forming a parliamentary group. Cotrim de Figueiredo said that the group would be a firm opposition to socialism.[7]
On 22 January 2023, Cotrim de Figueiredo was succeeded as leader of the Liberal Initiative by Rui Rocha, whom he had endorsed.[8]
In the 2024 European Parliament election in Portugal, Cotrim de Figueiredo led the Liberal Initiative list, which had two of the country's 21 members elected to the European Parliament.[9] He ran for the leadership of the Renew Europe group of liberal MEPs, but withdrew.[10]
In August 2025, Cotrim de Figueiredo announced his candidacy for the 2026 Portuguese presidential election.[11]
Electoral history
IL leadership election, 2019
| Candidate | Votes | % | |
|---|---|---|---|
| João Cotrim de Figueiredo | 181 | 95.8 | |
| Blank/Invalid ballots | 8 | 4.2 | |
| Turnout | 189 | ||
| Source: Results[12] | |||
Legislative election, 2022
| Party | Candidate | Votes | % | Seats | +/− | |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| PS | António Costa | 2,302,601 | 41.4 | 120 | +12 | |
| PSD | Rui Rio | 1,618,381 | 29.1 | 77 | –2 | |
| Chega | André Ventura | 399,659 | 7.2 | 12 | +11 | |
| IL | João Cotrim Figueiredo | 273,687 | 4.9 | 8 | +7 | |
| BE | Catarina Martins | 244,603 | 4.4 | 5 | –14 | |
| CDU | Jerónimo de Sousa | 238,920 | 4.3 | 6 | –6 | |
| CDS–PP | Rodrigues dos Santos | 89,181 | 1.6 | 0 | –5 | |
| PAN | Inês Sousa Real | 88,152 | 1.6 | 1 | –3 | |
| Livre | Rui Tavares | 71,232 | 1.3 | 1 | ±0 | |
| Other parties | 91,299 | 1.6 | 0 | ±0 | ||
| Blank/Invalid ballots | 146,824 | 2.6 | – | – | ||
| Turnout | 5,564,539 | 51.46 | 230 | ±0 | ||
| Source: Comissão Nacional de Eleições[13] | ||||||
European Parliament election, 2024
| Party | Candidate | Votes | % | Seats | +/− | |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| PS | Marta Temido | 1,268,915 | 32.1 | 8 | –1 | |
| AD | Sebastião Bugalho | 1,229,895 | 31.1 | 7 | ±0 | |
| Chega | António Tânger Corrêa | 387,068 | 9.8 | 2 | +2 | |
| IL | João Cotrim de Figueiredo | 358,811 | 9.1 | 2 | +2 | |
| BE | Catarina Martins | 168,107 | 4.3 | 1 | –1 | |
| CDU | João Oliveira | 162,630 | 4.1 | 1 | –1 | |
| Livre | Francisco Paupério | 148,572 | 3.8 | 0 | ±0 | |
| ADN | Joana Amaral Dias | 54,120 | 1.4 | 0 | ±0 | |
| PAN | Pedro Fidalgo Marques | 48,006 | 1.2 | 0 | –1 | |
| Other parties | 48,647 | 1.2 | 0 | ±0 | ||
| Blank/Invalid ballots | 77,208 | 2.0 | – | – | ||
| Turnout | 3,951,979 | 36.63 | 21 | ±0 | ||
| Source: Comissão Nacional de Eleições[14] | ||||||
See also
References
- ^ a b "João Cotrim de Figueiredo deixa presidência do Turismo de Portugal" [João Cotrim de Figueiredo leaves the presidency of Turismo de Portugal]. Público (in Portuguese). Lusa. 11 February 2016. Retrieved 16 August 2025.
- ^ a b c Correia Baptista, Sofia (4 October 2019). "João Cotrim de Figueiredo: do mundo empresarial para a Iniciativa Liberal" [João Cotrim de Figueiredo: from the business world to the Liberal Initiative]. Público (in Portuguese). Retrieved 16 August 2025.
- ^ ""Servi bebidas de smoking branco e aprendi que as pessoas olham para quem está a trabalhar como se fossem invisíveis. Isso marcou-me"" ["I served drinks in a white tuxedo and I learned that people look at workers as if they're invisible. That made a mark on me"] (in Portuguese). SIC Notícias. 10 March 2025. Retrieved 16 August 2025.
- ^ "Cotrim de Figueiredo cabeça de lista por Lisboa do partido Iniciativa Liberal" [Cotrim de Figueiredo heads list in Lisbon for the Liberal Initiative party]. Público (in Portuguese). 15 July 2019. Retrieved 27 January 2021.
- ^ "O gestor que serviu cocktails agora é deputado. Quem é o primeiro deputado da IL" [The manager who served cocktails is now a deputy. Who is the first IL deputy] (in Portuguese). TSF. 7 October 2019. Retrieved 27 January 2021.
- ^ "Iniciativa Liberal elege João Cotrim Figueiredo com 96% dos votos" [Liberal Initiative elects João Cotrim Figueiredo with 96% of the votes]. Público (in Portuguese). 8 December 2019. Retrieved 27 January 2021.
- ^ "João Cotrim de Figueiredo: "Grupo parlamentar da Iniciativa Liberal será oposição firme ao socialismo"" [João Cotrim de Figueiredo: "Liberal Initiative parliamentary group will be a firm opposition to socialism"] (in Portuguese). SIC Notícias. 31 January 2022. Retrieved 31 January 2022.
- ^ Donn, Natasha (23 January 2023). "Rui Rocha elected president of Iniciativa Liberal". Portugal Resident. Retrieved 27 January 2023.
- ^ Jerónimo, Mariana (9 June 2024). "Quem são os 21 eurodeputados que Portugal vai enviar para o Parlamento Europeu?" [Who are the 21 MEPs that Portugal is sending to the European Parliament?] (in Portuguese). SIC Notícias. Retrieved 10 June 2024.
- ^ Borges, Liliana (24 June 2024). "Cotrim de Figueiredo retira candidatura a presidente dos liberais europeus" [Cotrim de Figueiredo withdraws candidacy for president of the European liberals]. Público (in Portuguese). Retrieved 16 August 2025.
- ^ André Figueiredo, Inês. "Agora é oficial: João Cotrim Figueiredo é candidato à Presidência da República" [Now it is official: João Cotrim de Figueiredo is candidate for President of the Republic]. Observador (in Portuguese). Retrieved 16 August 2025.
- ^ "João Cotrim Figueiredo eleito presidente da Iniciativa Liberal com 96% dos votos". Jornal de Negócios. 8 December 2019. Retrieved 7 August 2024.
- ^ "Mapa Oficial n.º 1/2022" (PDF). Comissão Nacional de Eleições. 26 March 2022. Archived (PDF) from the original on 1 April 2022. Retrieved 1 April 2022.
- ^ "Comissão Nacional de Eleições Mapa Oficial n.º 4/2024" (PDF). Comissão Nacional de Eleições. 28 June 2024. Retrieved 28 June 2024.
External links
- João Cotrim de Figueiredo at Assembly of the Republic (in Portuguese)