"Tomorrow I'm playing at home. I don't know if it will be better or worse", he had anticipated the day before.

Born in Leça da Palmeira, the "number one" of the Free Party felt at home this morning, spent in Matosinhos. He can't say if it went better or worse, but it is certain that it was the first time, since the beginning of the campaign, that the candidate dedicated himself to contact with the population, despite his characteristic shyness.

Walking through the municipal market of Matosinhos which, at that time, around 11:00, was already with less movement, Francisco Paupério talked to customers and merchants. He met friends, familiar faces and other people who did not know who he was and to those, after introducing himself, he asked what they wanted Europe to do for them.

There were many complaints, but there were some merchants who regretted the low wages in Portugal and it was the ideal cue for Francisco Paupério to talk about a proposal from the Free Party that he had not yet highlighted during the campaign: a European minimum wage.

"We have to have a European coordination and strategy to make it possible for our wages to also approach the German level, the French level. It was a measure defended by these workers and that is what we will defend from June 9", he told journalists.

Surrounded by about ten supporters, with party flags and leaflets, Francisco Paupério realized that even though the majority did not recognize him, they knew the Free Party. A good sign, he considered.

"The important thing is to know the message of the Free Party, our proposals, and I am very happy because I was here in March and most people did not know the Free Party and now they do. It is a work that we are doing in the parliamentary group, with our proposals and our way of being in politics. This shows that it contributes to its growth", he praised.

In the final stretch of the first week of the campaign, it is only today that he will have some of the best-known faces of the Free Party by his side, including the spokesman Rui Tavares. Another person who joined, in the middle of the morning, was Filipa Pinto, the "number two" in the European elections.

"Francisco is doing an excellent campaign, he is passing on the message of the Free Party in a very convincing way and very sure of what we want for the country and for Europe", said the candidate.

After the quick visit to the market, the group walked through the Leixões port area and the candidates handed out leaflets to the people they met. Shyly, and without enthusiastic reactions from the population, it was, however, the day when the campaign was closest to the people.

At the end of the afternoon, the party organizes an event in Porto, dedicated to feminism, in which, in addition to Paupério and Filipa Pinto, Rui Tavares, Jorge Pinto, elected in the legislative elections by the Porto constituency, and the co-president of the European Green Party Mélanie Vogel will also be present.

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