Albuquerque criticizes PSD’s “bad decision” in placing Madeira’s representative in 9th place on the European list – Politics

The leader of the PSD/Madeira, Miguel Albuquerque, criticized this Tuesday the “bad decision” of the party leadership in placing the representative of this region in 9th place on the list of candidates for the European Championships, considering it to be discouraging for the participation of Madeirans. in this vote.

“It was a bad decision, an inopportune decision and from a strategic point of view for the PSD it is bad”, said the also resigning president of the Regional Government of Madeira to journalists on the sidelines of a visit to a company.

Miguel Albuquerque said he voted, on Monday, in the party’s National Council, against the list of candidates from the AD coalition for the European Parliament, a vote that takes place on June 9th.

The Madeiran social democratic leader highlighted that the PSD is the government in the two autonomous regions, which the European Union’s operating treaty considers to be “specific cases, such as outermost regions that must be treated differently due to their specificities”.

“What I said yesterday is that I actually considered it to be a lack of consideration for the islands and, above all, for the populations of the islands”, he said, highlighting that over the years, the PSD has always allocated “easily eligible” seats to the two candidates of Madeira and the Azores.

Albuquerque argued that, from a strategic point of view, the PSD “has always identified with autonomies” and considered the “extension of the national territory to the islands as something that is essential and must be affirmed within the European framework”.

The Madeiran social-democratic leader said that the election of a representative from Madeira in 9th place is a “more complicated situation”, highlighting that “when the PSD was not in national power, Madeira was always considered an eligible place”.

However, he added that, from a political point of view, Madeira cannot fail to appear on the list, because the absence of a candidate from the region “would be discouraging for the elections”, which is why he will maintain Rubina Leal’s candidacy.

“This does not mean that if the result is good, our candidate will not enter. But I think it was a bad decision by the PSD’s national leadership”, he emphasized.

In his opinion, what is at stake is whether or not the national leadership of the PSD considers the autonomous regions to be “important, with representation in the European Parliament”

“What does the direction [nacional do PS] did was not consider”, he stressed.

Miguel Albuquerque also assured that the PSD/Madeira “will go to all the elections”, but the anticipated regional elections on May 26th are the party’s focus.