“I believe that Gouveia e Melo is the President Portugal needs at this moment to counter the far-right, strengthen the center, and curb populism,” stated the regional secretary of the Economy of the Madeira Government (PSD/CDS-PP) in a written statement.
José Manuel Rodrigues, while acknowledging his role as president of the National Congress of the CDS-PP and a member of the party’s Directing Committee, emphasized that his support for Gouveia e Melo “only binds” him personally.
When asked if his choice might cause tension or political issues within the governing coalition, given that the PSD supports Marques Mendes and the CDS-PP has not yet announced their candidate, he remarked that “presidential elections are not party elections, but elections of individuals.”
He further added, “It is normal for party leaders and members to hold positions different from their party’s official advice, and there are numerous examples in various candidacies that prove this reality, both on the left and the right.”
José Manuel Rodrigues also stressed that his stance “does not undermine the Government coalition with the PSD, in Madeira, the Azores, and on the mainland,” asserting that it is “a normal situation in a democratic regime that does not jeopardize the agreements and solidarity between the two parties in the three governments.”
The Madeira centrist leader argues that, in his view, Gouveia e Melo “will be the best President to regenerate the political system, bring new credibility to institutions, and restore the Portuguese people’s hope in Democracy and the Rule of Law.”
He further assures his belief that this candidate “will be a factor of stability for the country, ensuring demanding stability that secures the normal functioning of democratic institutions, guaranteeing the fulfillment of legislatures without the constant threat of political crises and without interfering with the powers of other sovereign bodies.”
According to José Manuel Rodrigues, Gouveia e Melo “has the profile for Head of State that matches the state of the country,” adding that he “brings authority without authoritarianism, is popular without being populist, and has a correct understanding of constitutional powers.
He also highlights that the presidential candidate “is a deep connoisseur of insular realities and their geostrategic advantages for Portugal and is a defender of the deepening of Autonomy for the Azores and Madeira.”
