Paulo Veiga Aims to Rebuild Cape Verde’s MpD for 2029
PRAIA, Cape Verde — Paulo Veiga, the newly elected president of the Movement for Democracy (MpD), has set his sights on a “grassroots revolution” to restore the party’s dominance. In an interview with Lusa, Veiga outlined a strategic roadmap to reclaim local power in 2029 before eyeing the prime minister’s office in 2031.
Following his internal victory on Sunday, Veiga dismissed immediate talk of national leadership, focusing instead on internal healing. “This is a journey to reorganize the MpD and return it to its members,” Veiga said. “Our goal is to reconquer the city halls and make the MpD the largest municipal party in Cape Verde once again.”
Healing the Divide Between Government and Citizens
The MpD faces a steep climb. Over the last decade, the party has bled approximately 38,000 voters, culminating in a stinging defeat to the African Party for the Independence of Cape Verde (PAICV) this past May. Veiga attributed this decline to a growing “dissonance” between successful macroeconomic data and the harsh reality of daily life for citizens.
“We had an excellent government, but it was distant,” Veiga admitted. “We failed to communicate our measures, to be close, and to adjust when asked. When we dropped from 14 to seven municipalities, that was a sign. We chose not to listen.”
To combat this, Veiga plans to overhaul the party’s statutes at the upcoming XIV National Convention. He aims to decentralize power, shifting the authority to nominate candidates back to municipal commissions and local branches. “When people feel they cannot influence anything, they lose interest,” he noted, citing record-breaking abstention rates of 53.5% in recent elections.
Unity and the Presidential Challenge
Veiga is already working to consolidate the party, meeting with his former leadership rivals, Hermínio Fernandes and Luís Filipe Tavares, to find a unified path forward. While he expressed some reservations about the timing of the parliamentary group’s leadership election in June, he pledged to work in “sync” with the current legislative heads.
His first major test as leader arrives quickly: the November 15 presidential elections. The MpD has backed former Justice Minister Joana Rosa to challenge incumbent President José Maria Neves. While acknowledging the difficulty of unseating an incumbent, Veiga promised full logistical support. “If Joana Rosa wants the president of the MpD by her side, I am here to represent the members,” he said, adding that any result above 30% would be a strong showing in a difficult race.
A Legacy of Democracy
Politics is a family affair for Veiga. His father, Carlos Albertino Veiga, was a party founder, and his first cousin, Carlos Veiga, served as the country’s first prime minister under a multi-party system.
“Carlos Veiga is a hero, and I see much of myself in him,” Veiga said. “I promised to bring back the ‘MpD of Carlos Veiga’—a party that was close to the people and communicative with society. That weight will be with me throughout my mandate.”
Image: Pexels – damien Saillet
