The XVI Regional Government of Madeira, a coalition between PSD and CDS-PP, headed by Social Democrat Miguel Albuquerque, was inaugurated on Tuesday before the Legislative Assembly of the archipelago.
“The people of Madeira and Porto Santo have shown at the polls on March 23 the path they want to follow,” said Miguel Albuquerque, who has led the Madeiran executive since 2015, during the ceremony held in the noble hall of the parliament in Funchal.
Albuquerque, now inaugurated as president of his fifth government, noted that in the last suffrage, Madeirans indicated they desire “peace and progress,” “a framework for civilized dialogue between political and social actors,” and a government that “ensures stability, development, and responsibility.”
He added that the population also “expects a Government capable of realizing, on a national level, the fair autonomist aspirations,” through the revision of the “unjust Regional Finance Law” and the deepening of political autonomy in the upcoming constitutional review.
Miguel Albuquerque acknowledged that “the last few years have not been easy” for Madeira, citing the challenges posed by the COVID-19 pandemic, the war in Ukraine, and both regional and national political crises. However, he stated that Madeira managed to “resist” through it all.
“We knew how to resist. Without fear of facing adversities and, above all, without fear of confronting the associated demagogies. And we were never intimidated by the lies circulated on social media. We maintained the course set and the commitments made, with courage and calm,” declared Miguel Albuquerque.
In his view, everyone needs to be “united in the pursuit of common goals,” pointing out that “pluralism, freedom, and democratic diversity do not prevent the political and social union effort in realizing the region’s and population’s foremost interests.”
“We cannot waste more time,” emphasized the government leader, highlighting the importance of approving the Government’s Program and the Regional Budget “before the summer.”
The head of the executive argued that “only a fully functioning Government, with an approved budget and a legislative horizon of four years, has the conditions to fulfill the approved program, stimulate entrepreneurship and companies, secure new investments in the Region, guarantee public investment, and improve education, health, and social support services.”
Albuquerque also assured that the new Madeiran government is open to parliamentary dialogue and “will have no problem subjecting its actions to the responsible scrutiny” of the Legislative Assembly.
Addressing the Minister of State and Foreign Affairs, Paulo Rangel, who attended the ceremony, Miguel Albuquerque praised this “gesture of consideration and appreciation from the national Government,” also viewing it as a “reaffirmation of cooperation” between the two executives to resolve pending issues between the Republic and the Region.
“I am certain that the commitments made by the Prime Minister to the Region will remain unchanged for the sake of a more cohesive and more united country,” he stressed.
The ceremony was also attended by Duarte Freitas, Regional Secretary of Finance, Planning, and Public Administration of the Government of the Azores.
The XVI Regional Executive was inaugurated following the results of the early regional elections on March 23, triggered by the approval of a motion of no-confidence presented by Chega, justified by judicial investigations involving members of the island government, including Miguel Albuquerque, who was declared a defendant.
The PSD was the most voted party, electing 23 deputies in a 47-seat Legislative Assembly of Madeira, securing an absolute majority through a parliamentary and governmental agreement with the elected member of CDS-PP.
The newly inaugurated Madeiran executive comprises eight regional secretariats, with two of the secretaries (Tourism and Education) being reconfirmed, and includes two women.
The Economy portfolio is assigned to the leader of CDS-PP, José Manuel Rodrigues, who has been the president of the Legislative Assembly of Madeira since 2019.
Besides the majority parties, the Madeiran parliament also comprises 11 deputies of JPP, which has become the leader of the regional opposition, eight of the PS, three of Chega, and one from IL.
The regional elections of March 23 were the third held in Madeira in about a year and a half.
