Leader Rui Marques Political position Centre | Ideology Centrism,
Liberalism | |
Founded July 23, 2008 (2008-07-23) Dissolved December 12, 2012 (2012-12-12) Headquarters Travessa das Pedras Negras, 1 - 4º 1100-404 , Lisbon | ||
Hope for Portugal Movement (Portuguese: Movimento Esperança Portugal, [muviˈmẽtu ʃpɨˈɾɐ̃sɐ puɾtuˈɣaɫ]; MEP) was a minor centrist political party in Portugal. It had no representatives in the Assembly of the Republic, the Portuguese legislature. Its name in Portuguese could also mean incentive expression: Movement "Have Hope Portugal".
It was formed on July 23, 2008 when the Portuguese Constitutional Court accepted the necessary 8,400 signatures for it to be legally recognized. Portuguese activist and entrepreneur Rui Marques was the first face of the then civic group, that would originate the MEP. The first party congress is scheduled for 4/5 October 2008, and it is due to approve the party's program and statutes. MEP has announced it is going to contest the European Parliament and legislative elections of 2009.
Due to the low results achieved by the party in the 2011 elections, Rui Marques resigned as party chairman. On 29 January 2012 the party released a statement informing party members, motivated by the weak results achieved in the 4 elections in which they contested, that the party would be dissolved as a political party although continuing its action as a civic movement.
On 9 January 2013 the dissolution of the party was accepted by the Constitutional Court, with effect since 12 December 2012.