The new Regional Government of Madeira for the 2025-2029 term emerged from the early elections held on March 23, which were won by the Social Democratic Party (PSD). This government consists of eight regional secretariats, an increase of one from the previous administration, and includes two women while retaining two of the current officeholders.
Miguel Albuquerque, appointed as the president of the 15th Government of Madeira by the Representative of the Republic, Ireneu Barreto, on March 28, decided to retain Jorge Carvalho in his role overseeing Education, Science, and Technology, as well as Eduardo Jesus, who remains in charge of Tourism and Culture but now takes on the Environment portfolio instead of Economy.
The new executive appoints Duarte Freitas as the Regional Secretary for Finance, Micaela Freitas for Health and Civil Protection, Nuno Maciel for Agriculture and Fisheries, Paula Margarido for Inclusion, Labor, and Youth, and Pedro Rodrigues for Equipment and Infrastructure.
The Economy portfolio is assigned to the leader of the CDS-PP, José Manuel Rodrigues, who had served as the President of the Legislative Assembly of Madeira since 2019.
The PSD secured victory in the regional legislative elections on March 23 by electing 23 deputies, falling one short of an absolute majority. They formed a parliamentary and governmental agreement with the CDS-PP, which obtained one seat in the Legislative Assembly, ensuring an absolute majority in the regional parliament, composed of 47 deputies.
Besides the majority parties, the Legislative Assembly of Madeira includes the JPP with 11 deputies, taking on the role of leader of the opposition, the PS with eight, Chega with three, and the IL with one.
This marks the fifth regional government led by Social Democrat Miguel Albuquerque, who has held the position since 2015, succeeding the long-serving Alberto João Jardim, who led the island’s executive from 1978.
The regional legislative elections on March 23 were the third held in Madeira within about a year and a half.
The election followed 10 months after the last one, a result of a no-confidence motion filed by Chega, citing judicial investigations into members of the Regional Government, including Miguel Albuquerque, and the subsequent dissolution of the Legislative Assembly by the President of the Republic.
