Madeira will possibly go to the polls again starting mid-February, in what is the third regional election in eighteen months, if the motion of censure on the government of Miguel Albuquerque is approved and early elections are called.
With discussion and voting scheduled for the 17th of December, if the parties maintain their stance, the motion of censure of the PSD minority Regional Government presented by Chega – justified by the party with the legal proceedings involving Albuquerque and four Regional Secretaries, made defendants in different cases – has guaranteed approval and will lead to the fall of the executive, who have only been in office for six months.
Article 62 of the Political-Administrative Statute of Madeira establishes that the resignation of the Regional Government implies, among other reasons, “the approval of a motion of censure by an absolute majority of the deputies in full exercise of their functions,” and in case of resignation the members of the outgoing executive “remain in office until the new government takes over. After his resignation, the Regional Government will limit itself to the practice of the acts strictly necessary to ensure the management of the region’s public affairs.” This is in accordance with the statutes.
With the fall of the Regional Government, a new chapter of the political crisis that began at the end of January reopens, when Miguel Albuquerque presented the resignation of the head of the executive after being made a defendant, where allegations of corruption are being investigated.
However, it was necessary to wait until the end of March for the President of the Republic, Marcelo Rebelo de Sousa, to dissolve the Legislative Assembly and call early elections on the 26th of May, just eight months after the regional elections in September.
Meanwhile, the PSD/Madeira held internal elections, which Miguel Albuquerque won once again, defeating Manuel António Correia. The CDS-PP also went to elections, being led by José Manuel Rodrigues.
After the early regional elections, which the PSD won again although failing for the third consecutive time to obtain an absolute majority – and without achieving for the first time later with parliamentary agreements -, the nomination of Albuquerque to lead the XV Regional Government was not a linear process, with PS and JPP presenting a “joint government solution,” rejected by the representative of the Republic, Ireneu Barreto.
On the contrary, according to the assessment made by Ireneu Barreto at the time, Miguel Albuquerque, who has led the executive since 2015, had “all the conditions to see his Programme approved in the Legislative Assembly” and the XV Regional Government took office on the 6th of June.
However, once again the process was troubled, with the Regional Government withdrawing the proposed Programme during the debate, in the face of the opposition’s threat. “There were those who had changed [their position],” justified the Representative of the Republic at the time.
A second version of the document, presented after negotiation with Chega, CDS-PP, IL, and PAN, was made possible on the 4th of July, with the favorable votes of PSD, CDS-PP, and PAN and four abstentions from Chega and IL. The PS, the JPP, and a deputy from Chega voted against it.
Two weeks later, and after the region had been operating on a twelfths basis for more than seven months, the Budget for 2024 was finally approved with votes in favor of PSD, CDS-PP, and PAN, the abstention of three deputies from Chega and votes against from PS, JPP, and IL.
Now, five months later, there is again a moment of impasse, with the 2025 Budget, after PS, JPP, and Chega announced the vote against, and with the discussion of the motion of censure on the Regional Government on the horizon.
If the Budget fails, the region could again be governed in twelfths, probably until the middle of next year, since the vote on the motion of censure is scheduled for the 17th of December.
If the voting intentions released are confirmed, the document will be approved with the votes of PS, JPP, Chega, and IL, which together have an absolute majority.
Taking into account that Miguel Albuquerque has already assumed that for the PSD/Madeira “there is only one solution” if the opposition “brings down the government,” which is to “return the voice to the Madeiran people,” the autonomous region should go to the polls again in the first months of 2025.
With the fall of the executive, the first step will be taken by the representative of the Republic, who should call the parties to the São Lourenço Palace. However, the last word will always be up to the President of the Republic, who is responsible for dissolving the Legislative Assembly of Madeira.
According to Article 133 of the Constitution, regarding the competence of the head of state, when it comes to other bodies, to dissolve the regional parliament, Marcelo Rebelo de Sousa will have to listen to the Council of State and the parties represented in it.
If these steps are completed before Christmas, and the Legislative Assembly of Madeira is dissolved, elections could be held from mid-February.
Early on this year, the President of Madeira, stated that he would leave office mid-February. With another election looming could he be fortelling his own fate?
Samantha Gannon
info at madeira-weekly.com
