The results of the local referendum on parking in Benfica are known: 79.5% voted NO, 20.1% voted YES, and 0.4% were white or null votes.
The provisional results of the local referendum in Benfica about EMEL's pricing and regulation of parking in the parish give a resounding victory to the NO, which got 79.5% of the vote. The YES had that of only 20.1% of the voters who went to vote. However, the turnout stood at 30% - i.e. below 50% - meaning that the local referendum is not, under the legislation, valid or binding.
- NO - 79.5%
- YES - 20.1 %
- Whites - 0.1%
- Null - 0.3%
- Abstention: ~70%
"Do you agree that the Benfica Parish Council should issue a favorable opinion for the placement of parking meters in Benfica's Limited Duration Parking Zones?" - this was the question put to Benfica voters in the local referendum that took place this Sunday, February 12th. It was the first ever in Lisbon. The nearly 32 thousand registered parishioners were able to vote until 7pm.
Board will follow result
Having participated only 9476 voters out of 32 thousand, it means a turnout of about 30% and an abstention of about 70% - the local referendum would need to be attended by at least half of the covered population for it to be considered valid. However, even though it is not binding under national law, a local referendum can have political validity within the parish.
The President of the Junta de Freguesia, Ricardo Marques, has already made it known, through the Lusa news agency, even before the result is known, that he will respect "unequivocally the will of the majority [of voters] who have spoken today"regardless of the accession scenario. "On Sunday, if the YES wins, [EMEL] will enter zone 9F. If the result is NO, (...) the Junta's position is of the non-entry of more zones in Benfica"he underlined.
The Junta de Freguesia de Benfica has to give an answer to EMEL and the Lisbon City Hall about whether it accepts the zoning presented and already approved for the charging and regulation of all parking in the freguesia. This is the procedure in light of the General Regulation for Parking and Stopping in Public Streets (RGEPVP) of the city of Lisbon: EMEL can only expand into new areas with a favorable opinion.
Without making a concrete decision regarding this opinion (whether to say YES or NO), the council decided to refer it to the local population, a decision that was criticized during the campaign. Rui Simão, a parishioner who campaigned for the YES vote, said that the referendum only took place because "policy makers did not want to make a decision". "They have resigned from this discussion because they know that this is a discussion that, taking one side or the other of the coin, always causes them to lose votes", said in an interview to Lisboa Para Pessoas.
EMEL releases communiqué, CDU reacts
In a statement sent to news outlets on Sunday after voting closed, EMEL said that "salutes all the voters who participated in this act, as well as all those who got involved, intervened and energized the campaign". He added: "EMEL adopted in this process the most absolute neutrality, having abstained from producing any statements or positions that could influence the result of the referendum held today. The competence for the institution of Limited Duration Parking Zones is exclusive to the Lisbon City Hall and is preceded by a binding opinion from the Parish Council, with the Benfica Parish opting to return the decision to the citizens. EMEL underlines its concern, in general, with the perception that these debates result in relation to its activity, which is nothing more than to technically support and execute the decisions of the City Council's bodies, acting through inspection, management, and intervention in the public space. EMEL remains committed to the continuous improvement of Lisbon's mobility policies.“
Also CDU, who showed his support for the NO vote with several demonstrations in the streets, has reacted. In a note sent to the press, he said that "salutes the people who, in connection with the local referendum held today, have been speaking out on the serious problem of parking in the parish of Benfica, which is of great concern to residents, workers and merchants". Added: “The majority of voters who took part in this referendum rejected the introduction of priced parking across the board in the parish. The population wants a different mobility and parking policy, which we know is possible. The CDU reaffirms that the creation of new parking spaces in surface, height and depth along with the construction of bollard parks at the entrance of the city with connection to public transport, and the bet on a network of quality public transport, tending to be free, and with regular schedules are the condition for a fair solution to the parking problem in the parish of Benfica and the city of Lisbon."
Article being updated.
