“I will continue with Dr. Paulo Estêvão as a member of the Regional Government and leader of one of the coalition parties PSD, CDS-PP, and PPM in the Azores,” stated José Manuel Bolieiro on the sidelines of a meeting with the Calheta Chamber in São Jorge.
The head of the Azorean executive (PSD/CDS-PP/PPM) argued that there is no incompatibility with the candidacy for prime minister of the regional secretary for Parliamentary Affairs.
“He is not on the list of candidates for deputy. We have our electoral system with candidacies for deputies. But even if he were, it is not incompatible, nor do we have any problem of incompatibility,” Bolieiro emphasized.
The National Council of the PPM appointed its secretary-general, Paulo Estêvão, who is not running in the May legislative elections, as a “candidate for prime minister,” announced the party today.
In a statement released, the party mentioned that the decision was made unanimously at the National Council meeting of the PPM held last Friday.
When questioned, Bolieiro asserted that the candidacy does not mean that Paulo Estêvão is not committed to the Regional Government.
“He is a national leader of the PPM and is doing his work as a party leader,” defended the head of the Azorean executive.
The President of the Regional Government reiterated the autonomy of the region’s parties, noting that the PSD/CDS-PP/PPM coalition will run as a coalition in the Azores circle.
“We have our autonomy. We do not interfere with national decisions, nor do national decisions interfere with ours,” he stressed.
Contacted by Lusa, Paulo Estêvão stated that he is not part of any list of candidates for deputies in the early elections in May, emphasizing that he currently holds a position in the Regional Government of the Azores under the PSD/CDS-PP/PPM coalition.
Paulo Estêvão noted that the Constitution of the Republic does not prevent a person who has not been elected as a deputy from being appointed prime minister.
PSD and CDS-PP published in daily newspapers on the 28th of last month that the coalition on the Continent and in Madeira will be called “AD — Aliança Democrática — PSD/CDS” and, in the Azores, will repeat the formula used in previous elections “PSD/CDS-PP/PPM.”
The PPM threatened to file an injunction at the beginning of this week to prevent the use of the designation “Aliança Democrática” by the PSD/CDS-PP coalition, claiming to be “gravely harmed.”
Today, the Constitutional Court rejected the PSD/CDS-PP coalition’s request to use the name “AD – Aliança Democrática – PSD/CDS” in the upcoming legislative elections, stating that there would be an “undoubted risk of misleading voters.”
