Publication of the book ‘The Mayors of Ponte de Lima (1822-2020)’

This October, the book ‘The Mayors of Ponte de Lima (1822-2020)’ was launched by Fernando de Sousa, Manuel Pires Ribeiro, Ricardo Rocha and Diogo Ferreira. This two-volume work presents the biographies of the 76 personalities who led Ponte de Lima's government for almost two centuries, with particular emphasis on the activities carried out during their respective terms in office.

The biographies are preceded by an extensive study that includes, among other aspects, a historical note on the Municipality of Ponte de Lima, from the granting of the charter to the foundation of the modern municipality, and the successive changes to its geographical boundaries; the legal framework of the Municipality of Ponte de Lima and its Mayors, addressing their attributions and competences, in the light of the legislation produced in this period, as well as the evolution of their degree of autonomy; an assessment of how the respective mandates were acquired and how long they lasted; and the individual and collective characterisation of the mayors of Ponte de Lima, namely in terms of the number and duration of their mandates, their geographical and socio-professional origins, their age when they took office and their political career.

This study ends with a reflection on the main aspects of the political role of the mayors of Ponte de Lima and the effective importance of the position, while also seeking to establish a profile of the group as a whole, the lines of force that give them cohesion as a particular group in Ponte de Lima society and make them an integral part of the municipality and its history, both symbolically and materially.