Scrutiny of Lisbon Mayor Carlos Moedas

Lisbon Mayor Carlos Moedas has faced increasing scrutiny regarding the accuracy of his administration’s claims and public spending. Initial investigations highlighted discrepancies in his reporting of municipal achievements, specifically regarding cycling infrastructure. While Moedas claimed to have established over 88km of bike lanes, municipal data indicated the actual figure was approximately 13.2km. He also faced challenges over assertions regarding public transport subsidies and the origin of certain social initiatives.

Further scrutiny emerged concerning the costs of cleaning the Dom Pedro IV statue in Rossio following vandalism during housing rights protests. After initially claiming the cleaning cost 100,000 euros, Moedas corrected the figure to 138,104 euros during a Lisbon Municipal Chamber meeting. This correction drew criticism from political representatives, who noted that the single cleaning event represented more than 40 percent of the annual budget allocated for graffiti removal across three central Lisbon parishes.