The recent contract between the Lisbon City Council (CML) and advertising company JCDecaux has ignited controversy, with opposition parties raising concerns about the compliance and execution of the agreement. The contract, approved in September 2022, allows JCDecaux to install and operate advertising panels across the city for a period of 15 years, generating an annual revenue of €8.3 million for the municipality.
The opposition, including the Socialist Party (PS), Left Bloc (BE), Portuguese Communist Party (PCP), Citizens for Lisbon, and Livre, has criticized the leadership of the Social Democratic Party (PSD) and CDS-PP for failing to ensure compliance with the contract’s terms. They argue that the current administration has shown a lack of interest in enforcing the contract, despite numerous advertising panels already being installed.
In statements to the press, PS representatives have pointed out that the mayor, Carlos Moedas, is solely responsible for the contract’s execution. They expressed concern over the city council’s delayed action in collecting payments from JCDecaux, which has been operating numerous panels for weeks without any financial transactions taking place.
The BE has highlighted the uncertainty surrounding the safety of the large advertising panels and the hundreds of smaller billboards already placed in public spaces. They have proposed an independent audit by the National Laboratory of Civil Engineering (LNEC) to assess compliance with safety regulations for both pedestrian and traffic.