Democratic Party as the main reason. Independent politician and return to Figueira da Foz After Santana's announcement that he was leaving Alliance leadership, rumours started circulating that he could be preparing a return to the Social Democratic Party. In October 2020, at least one media outlet reported that its leader, Rui Rio, wanted Santana Lopes to be the party candidate for mayor of Sintra; in March 2021, it was reported that he had declined to be the party candidate for mayor of Torres Vedras. His return to the Social Democratic Party was ruled out when it became known, in late March 2021, that he would seek to create a citizen's group in order to run for mayor of Figueira da Foz, a position he held between 1998 and 2002. His candidacy, leading a list called Figueira The First (), was confirmed in May and generated significant interest, with opinion polls giving him real chances of winning. The candidate of the Social Democratic Party, Pedro Machado, launched on 10 August a legal action to invalidate Santana's candidacy due to alleged irregularities in its submission, which was rejected by the local court three days later. Figueira a Primeira would effectively become the winner, obtaining 40,39% and four councillors, against 38,39% for the Socialist Party, also with four councillors. The Social Democratic Party scored 10,83%, electing only one councillor. Under Portuguese law, the top candidate of the most voted list automatically becomes the mayor, but Santana will have to negotiate with other political groups in order to implement his agenda, since he didn't win a majority. He nevertheless considered the result "an extraordinary feat". Outside politics After resigning as secretary of state of culture, Santana Lopes successfully ran for president of Sporting CP. Despite being in office for less than a year, the club won the 1994–1995 Taça de Portugal in football under his leadership. Electoral history Municipal elections for Lisbon, 2001 (Source: ) Honours Grand-Cross of the National Order of the Southern Cross, Brazil (28 August 1991 and 31 December 2003) Grand-Cross of the Order of Ouissam Alaouite, Morocco (20 February 1995) Grand-Cross of the Order of Merit, Hungary (27 October 2002) Grand-Cross in Gold of the Order of Merit, Austria (11 November 2004) Grand-Cross of the Order of Christ, Portugal (19 January 2010) Bibliography Co-author with José Manuel Durão Barroso: Sistema de Governo e Sistema Partidário, Livraria Bertrand, 1980 Portugal e