Lisbon, July 31, 2025 (Lusa) - Lisbon city council has unanimously decided to “vehemently repudiate” the government’s intention to increase the capacity of the city's Humberto Delgado Airport and, with votes against from the PSD/CDS-PP, lamented the “inertia” of the mayor, Carlos Moedas (PSD).
"We can even talk about how we can do it more vehemently, but I cannot force the Government [to back down on increasing the airport's capacity]. I can influence, I can be present, I can say no, and I have done so every time I am with a member of the Government, in particular with the Prime Minister [Luís Montenegro, of the PSD], I raise this issue and the concern for the people of Lisbon," said Social Democrat Carlos Moedas.
At a public council meeting on Wednesday evening, the PCP presented a motion “against the works at Humberto Delgado Airport (AHD) that allow an increase in aircraft handling capacity”, which was signed by all members of the executive, including the PSD/CDS-PP leadership (which governs without an absolute majority).
On the same issue, the PS proposed a vote of condemnation of the expansion of the airport's capacity and the “inertia” of the Lisbon city council (CML) leadership, with the proposal being passed with the PSD/CDS-PP voting against.
In presenting the vote, PS councillor Pedro Anastácio recalled the unanimous position taken by the council in September 2024, through a motion in which the local authority categorically rejected any increase in the airport's capacity, given the impacts that were already at that time deemed "very significant for public health, the environment and the quality of life of Lisbon's residents".
At issue is the decision by the PSD/CDS-PP government to go ahead with works to expand the capacity of Lisbon airport, increasing the number of flights per hour from 38 to 45.
In the view of the PS, the mayor of Lisbon, after signing the motion approved in September, “did nothing and said nothing” after the government announced the expansion works.
In addition to repudiating Carlos Moedas' attitude of “inertia and lack of public intervention”, the PS vote condemns the PSD mayor's “political inability” to influence the Government and demands that the city council urgently take all legal and institutional measures at its disposal, including opposing the issuance of an Environmental Impact Statement by the APA - Agência Portuguesa do Ambiente (Portuguese Environment Agency), “to protect the interests of the city and the people of Lisbon”.
As for the motion proposed by the PCP, the council decided to “vehemently repudiate” the Government’s intention to proceed with works aimed at increasing the capacity of the airport, reaffirming the full content of the position taken in September and urging the Government to respect it.
Another point is to mandate the mayor to “intercede, as a matter of urgency, with the Government” to ensure the reversal of the expansion works at the airport.
During the debate on the issue, the PS considered that the PCP's motion "is a lifeline for Carlos Moedas", an idea rejected by the communists, who pointed out the PSD mayor's change of position on the airport and demanded a "more interventionist" attitude in defending the city's interests.
The Social Democrat reinforced that his position is in line with that of the PCP: “We don’t want night flights, we don’t want an increase in capacity at this airport. We want another airport”.
As for the PS's vote of repudiation, Carlos Moedas said that it is a proposal ‘that is not easy to follow’ because it is “against, from a bloc that is against”, recalling that in previous terms of office the socialists advocated “exactly the opposite” of what they are now demanding.
The Lisbon city council, which is composed of 17 members, includes seven elected members from the ‘Novos Tempos’ coalition - PSD/CDS-PP/MPT/PPM/Aliança, three from the PS, three from Cidadãos Por Lisboa, two from the PCP, one from Livre and one from the BE.
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