The document received votes in favor of all the opposition – PS, JPP, Chega, IL and PAN, which brings together 26 elected representatives, exceeding the 24 required for a clear majority -, although the PSD and CDS-PP (which has a parliamentary agreement with the Social Democrats) voted against it.
The approval of the motion of criticism, a situation that has never been seen before in the archipelago, implies, according to the Political-Administrative Statute of Madeira, to resign from the Regional Government and continue in office until a new team takes office.
“Madeira and Porto-Santenses do not want new elections”
The president of the Regional Government of Madeira, the social democrat Miguel Albuquerque, considered the fall of his executives today with the approval of a motion of criticism, the Region remains “connected to the machine”.
“It is easy to destroy. It is difficult to build on top of ruins. With the fall of this Government and the call for new regional elections, the Autonomous Region of Madeira will be connected to the machine. No Government or Budget”, announced Miguel Albuquerque in the plenary session of the Legislative Assembly of Madeira, in Funchal.
Albuquerque argued that while those “who think there is no problem”, the The region will be in the first half (of 2025) with “management in its twelfth”.
In this case, he said, “everything slows down, everything slows down, everything will go back“, which affects the lives of families, companies and institutions.
“With the paralysis and uncertainty, distrust will enter the market, new investments will be cancelled, new projects will be postponed, new contracts will be canceled and public tenders for building new infrastructure will be immobilized”, which happened the same as careers and salary updates, he said.
“The party is united. And it must remain united and mobilized.”
Miguel Albuquerque also warns about the consequences of voting on the motion of criticism and revealed that he will ask the Republican Representative to schedule elections, “of course. This situation needs to be clarified”. The president of the Madeira regional government also called for the elections to be held “as quickly as possible”.
At the end of the vote on the criticism motion, Miguel Albuquerque also said that The Madeirans and the Porto-Santenses do not want new elections and that he will be the leader of the PSD again.
According to the Madeira PSD leader, no party conference is scheduled in the near future and that the union of the Social Democrats is important.
Albuquerque also declared that he is “not afraid of anything” in the PSD and he recalled that the internal elections were held in March and admits talking to all the activists, “everyone will be welcome and integrated”.
In response to the criticism motion in Madeira, Sara Madalena lamented that the “tragic humor presented by Chega” it was “lauded not only by far-right parties but also by all other left-wing parties”.
“It’s a shame that it was like this”, replied the representative of the CDS/Madeira, saying that it was “irresponsible” that could “pay dearly”.
According to the representative, it is “irresponsible to change the regional parliament in a court in violation of the separation of powers, in violation of the principles of the presumption of innocence.” Going into the elections, Sara Madalena gave a guarantee that the party will “make its way” on its own.
“The CDS is happy to gain the trust of the population on its own, because it was the adult in the room.”
me and The deputy leader of PAN considered it a priority to “explain to the Madeirans” that the motion of criticism is an instrument “used in all democracies, throughout the world”although it is the first time in Madeira.
“It doesn’t matter which party proposes it, the truth is that if we didn’t have enough reasons to discuss this proposal and approve it by the majority of the parties, we wouldn’t be at this point”, it was said. Mónica Freitas, who indicates that the members of the Regional Government are “mainly responsible” for this situation.
“It is necessary to take a political position”, he continued, adding that there are “several processes of corruption” related to different aspects of the Government and, therefore, it is necessary to regain political trust.
Accusing the president of the regional Executive of using the release of the budget in twelve parts as a victim, Mónica Freitas recalled that Miguel Albuquerque lied and that “it was his duty and responsibility to guarantee calm and tranquility to the population”.
In addition, emphasis on the representative, the elected parties represent the population.
“We hope that the representative of the Republic will be in the same hurry now as he was in May, because he did not ask for a written commitment from Miguel Albuquerque that there would be stability and governability”, said Élio Sousa.
Trusting the word of the president of the regional government, he continued, “no written document” is not the solution.
“It would be beneficial if this did not happen”, said Paulo Cafofo about the possibility of new early elections in Madeira. “The power is in the people, to be able to vote differently.”
The Socialist Party, according to the representative, “always looking for solutions”.
“We cannot always have the position of voting against the Budget, of overthrowing the Government, without looking for another solution”, he said.
For there to be change and stability in the region, he continued, “but by giving strength to the Socialist Party and by voting for the PS this can be achieved.”
If the Government falls and Miguel Albuquerque takes place again, the deputy socialist estimated that the region will go from “political crisis to political crisis”.