Publication of the book ‘The Mayors of Vila Nova de Gaia (1834-2019)’

This two-volume work presents the biographies of more than fifty personalities who, over almost two centuries, from the re-founding of the municipality in 1834 to the present day, have led Gaia's executive, 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 Gaia, from the granting of the first charter in 1255 to the foundation of the modern municipality in 1834 and the successive changes to its geographical boundaries; the legal framework of the Gaia Municipal Council 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 the way in which the respective mandates were acquired and their duration; and the individual and collective characterisation of the Mayors of Gaia, 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. It ends with a reflection on the main aspects of the political role of Gaia's mayors 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 Gaia's society and make them an integral part of the municipality and its history, both symbolically and materially. As the first edition of this work sold out shortly after its launch, a second edition is already being printed.