"Commemorating April is a time to celebrate, but it is also a time to roll up our sleeves and work even harder to consolidate a pluralistic, supportive democracy, free from any kind of constraints, for a fraternal democracy", says ANMP, in a message regarding the 50th anniversary of the Revolution of April 25, 1974, which is being marked today.

In the message, ANMP considers that the country cannot "be distracted by the froth of the days", otherwise "the ideals of April 25, 1974 may be swept under any rug and times may become dark again", stressing that "allowing this would be a betrayal".

ANMP recalls that, "before the time that April opened, the majority of the Portuguese population was illiterate, poor, had no access to health, culture, sports, or leisure", and that, in 50 years, Portugal "has changed for the better", mainly due to the fact that it is in the European Union and, through this, can access European funds, "and, to a great extent, due to the local work developed by municipalities and parishes".

Highlighting that free elections for local authorities, the Assembly of the Republic and the Presidency of the Republic "are one of the greatest achievements of April 25", ANMP stresses that "it is from this free vote for local authorities, for the first time on December 12, 1976, that democratic local power was born, served by thousands of local leaders who have known how to be selflessly at the service of their communities".

"And it was from the union of efforts of these local leaders that ANMP was born, in 1984", "to work for municipalities and represent them before the sovereign bodies", it adds, referring that this has been the work done by the association "over 40 years of the 50" that are being celebrated today.

Arguing that "local power played a decisive role in the democratisation of the country by making it better for all citizens", ANMP assures that, 50 years after "that bright dawn of April 25, 1974", local authorities "continue to work for the economic, social and cultural development of the territory and the well-being of the population, on the path to a more balanced, more cohesive and fairer Portugal for all".

ANMP adds that it was "with a focus on the development of the territories and the provision of an efficient and quality service to the population" that it worked, "intensively, on the decentralisation of competences from the central State to local authorities and inter-municipal entities".

Stressing that this is a fundamental reform for the country, ANMP argues, however, that "it is necessary to go further, deepening the proximity between the State and the people, culminating in regionalisation", for which it will continue to fight.

ANMP also guarantees that it will "continue to defend, with the Government, a set of essential matters for local power and for the country", such as a new law on local finances that "resolves current constraints and responds to the new demographic, climatic and digital challenges facing local authorities".

In addition, "ANMP closely monitors Portugal 2030 and the Recovery and Resilience Plan", as well as other crucial matters for the common future, such as housing, water, waste or energy.

Recognising that the country is experiencing "a particularly challenging time", ANMP guarantees that it will do everything "to rise to the challenges" and "to leave a better Portugal for future generations, always seeking to honour the legacy of April".

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