Judge José Sousa Lameira, former vice-president of the Superior Council of the Judiciary (CSM), will run for the presidency of the Supreme Court of Justice (STJ) on May 15.
The information was published this afternoon by Expresso and confirmed by the magistrate himself to Lusa.
“I can confirm that I have expressed my availability for the position. I haven’t formally presented my candidacy to all my colleagues, because I’m still sending out the [electoral] program,” he said.
Sousa Lameira also explained that all of the STJ’s advisory judges “are potential candidates” and that the “custom is to express availability” to colleagues before formalization, and that there is no deadline for submitting applications.
When asked about his reasons and ideas for running to succeed Judge Henrique Araújo, who is stepping down as president of the STJ in May due to reaching the age limit of 70, Sousa Lameira preferred to reserve an answer for later.
“I’ll only speak after I’ve told all my colleagues, they are the main recipients,” said the 67-year-old judge who, if elected, will also not be able to complete his five-year term, as was the case with Henrique Araújo and his predecessor António Joaquim Piçarra.
José Sousa Lameira was vice-president of the SCJ, the highest management and disciplinary body of the judiciary, between April 2019 and April 2023.
The current judge adviser worked closely with the still-president Henrique Araújo, who, as president of the STJ since May 2021, is also inherently president of the Superior Council of the Judiciary.