PAN Madeira says it is up to the PSD and Madeirans to assess the legitimacy of Albuquerque – Politics

The sole deputy of PAN Madeira defended this Wednesday that it is up to the PSD and Madeirans to assess whether Miguel Albuquerque has the legitimacy to lead the Regional Government, stating that her party is prepared for any decision by the head of State.

Mónica Freitas was speaking to journalists after an audience with the President of the Republic, Marcelo Rebelo de Sousa, who is this Wednesday receiving parties represented in the Madeiran parliament at the Belém Palace, in Lisbon, regarding the political crisis in the archipelago.

Following the regional elections in September 2023, the PAN signed a parliamentary understanding with the Social Democrats that guaranteed the PSD/CDS-PP regional executive an absolute majority.

Asked whether the social democrat Miguel Albuquerque, a defendant in a process investigating suspicions of corruption in the archipelago and currently resigning, will be able to remain president of the Regional Government, in a scenario where there are no early elections, the regional deputy highlighted that ” It is up to each party to carry out its internal management”.

“What we know in the current scenario in Madeira is that there were national legislative elections in which the PSD continued to have three deputies elected here to the Assembly of the Republic. It managed to reinforce its number of votes. There were internal elections in which the activists continued to give this legitimacy to Miguel Albuquerque. Therefore, this is something that is up to the internal management of the PSD and the people of Madeira and Porto-Santense – to decide whether or not it has legitimacy”, he argued.

On the other hand, he recalled, the PAN has always considered that “being accused is not a certificate of guilt” and that it will be up to the courts to do this work.

On Monday, Miguel Albuquerque argued that there was 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, Mónica Freitas refused to have any formal agreement with the Social Democrats, but admitted to being available to make the Regional Government Program and the region’s Budget viable if there are no elections.

Previously, the PAN had said that it would only maintain the understanding if Albuquerque left the executive presidency. It was after the party withdrew political confidence in the president of the Regional Government that the governor resigned.

If Marcelo Rebelo de Sousa chooses not to dissolve the regional parliament (as the opposition has defended), the Republic’s representative in the archipelago, Ireneu Barreto, will appoint “the president and other members of a new Regional Government”, as announced in February.

Mónica Freitas conveyed this Wednesday to the President of the Republic that the party is prepared for “any decision” that will overcome the political crisis, defending the importance of stability.

“The PAN, in a responsible attitude and always being part of the solution, is prepared for whatever the President of the Republic’s decision may be. We consider that Madeira is in a situation in which it is important to give its citizens a voice, but it is also important to guarantee the conditions of governability and stability for the population”, he stated.

The deputy highlighted that the party “has contributed to this stability, managing to advance its causes”, and lamented the scenario of instability experienced in the region

“We live in a scenario of some political instability. We have a Budget that was not approved, therefore, the region is in twelfths. This is one of the party’s biggest concerns”, he highlighted.

In addition to listening to the nine parties represented in Madeira – PSD, CDS-PP, PS, JPP, Chega, CDU, IL, PAN and BE -, Marcelo Rebelo de Sousa will meet this Wednesday with the Council of State, a political consultation body .

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.