BE/Madeira reiterates its defense of early elections in a meeting with Marcelo

BE/Madeira defends the holding of early regional elections for “clarification”, following the political crisis arising from suspicions of corruption in the archipelago, said deputy Roberto Almada this Wednesday, after a meeting with the President of the Republic, in Lisbon.

“We understand that there must be clarification, the start of a new parliament from which a new government will emanate [Regional]. Only in this way would we have relegitimized the power in the Legislative Assembly and the power of the Regional Government of Madeira”, he stated, upon leaving the meeting at the Palácio de Belém.

BE’s sole deputy in the regional parliament, accompanied by the party’s national deputy Marisa Matias, highlighted that “there is a re-candidate for the next elections who is suspected of several serious crimes”, which “has some seriousness” for the party.

“Naturally, if the President of the Republic’s option is to call elections, the Madeiran people will have the opportunity to comment on all of this”, he stressed.

Roberto Almada also regretted that the still president of the Madeiran Regional Government and likely candidate, Miguel Albuquerque, “has opened the door to the extreme right”, considering that there are no red lines with Chega.

“We consider that this would be a very big risk for democracy, for Madeira’s autonomy, for Madeira and for Madeirans, but here is BE to fight politically against right-wing ideas. This debate will take place and BE will fight this fight”he stated.

This Wednesday, the President of the Republic hears the parties with parliamentary seats in Madeira regarding the possibility of dissolving the Legislative Assembly, following the political crisis caused by the dismissal of Miguel Albuquerque from the position of president of the Regional Government (PSD/CDS-PP) , in January, after being named a defendant in a judicial investigation into suspected corruption in the archipelago.

In addition to listening to the nine parties represented – PSD, CDS-PP, PS, JPP, Chega, CDU, IL, PAN (which has a parliamentary influence agreement with the PSD) and BE -, Marcelo Rebelo de Sousa will convene the Council of State, the political advisory body of the head of state.

The President of the Republic’s hearings with parties with parliamentary seats have been taking place since 10:00 today in ascending order of representation: it started with BE, at 10:00, followed by PAN, IL, PCP, CDS -PP and Chega.

In the afternoon, the head of state listens to the JPP, the PS and the PSD.

At 18:00 the meeting of the Council of State, a consultative body of the President, will take place, in which the scenario of dissolution of the Regional Legislative Assembly of Madeira and the calling of early elections will be assessed.

Marcelo Rebelo de Sousa can call early elections or maintain the current Regional Government – in management – based on the parliamentary majority formed by PSD and CDS-PP in coalition, with support from the PAN.

The head of state regained the power to dissolve the archipelago’s parliament this week, six months after regional elections were held in Madeira, on September 24, 2023.

If Marcelo Rebelo de Sousa chooses not to dissolve the regional parliament, the representative of the Republic, Ireneu Barreto, will appoint “the president and other members of a new Regional Government”.

On Monday, Miguel Albuquerque argued that there is no justification for early legislation in Madeira and announced that negotiations were in the final stages to assure the President of the Republic that the PSD/CDS-PP majority would remain with the parliamentary support of the PAN.

On the same day, the PAN’s sole deputy, Mónica Freitas, refused to have any formal agreement with the PSD, but admitted to being available to make the Regional Government Program and the region’s Budget viable if there are no elections. Previously, the party had said that it would only maintain the understanding if Albuquerque left the executive presidency.

The Madeiran opposition has defended the holding of elections.