“Respecting the will expressed by the population, the regional political committee and the regional council [of PSD/Madeira] endorse all the political options taken in the name of stability and governance, assumed as a priority for the coming years,” stated João Cunha e Silva following the meeting of these party bodies.
The Madeiran social democrat highlighted the victory in last Sunday’s early regional elections, in which PSD/Madeira won 10 out of 11 municipalities and 51 out of 54 parishes, marking the 10th consecutive victory achieved by the party since 2019 and resulting in 13,000 more votes than in the previous elections.
He also emphasized that the party elected “four more deputies, nearly reaching an absolute majority,” adding, “Next time, we will strive to achieve it.”
In light of this result, the officials of the committee and the regional council “unanimously ratified the agreement struck between PSD and CDS,” which, he mentioned, “defines the fundamental principles of cooperation, solidarity, and convergence between the two political forces for the next four years.”
João Cunha e Silva highlighted that, within this agreement, “PSD and CDS reaffirm their political convergence, committing to form a stable and solid parliamentary majority that, at the same time, guarantees a legitimate, cohesive government capable of continuing to ensure the unwavering defense of autonomy and the interests of all Madeirans and Porto Santens.”
The official expressed gratitude to the Madeirans for “the great victory achieved by PSD” and for choosing to vote “for stability, thus ensuring the formation of a government for four years, as was one of the main banners and priorities” of the island’s PSD.
During this meeting, it was also unanimously decided that PSD/Madeira “will run in the upcoming early national legislative elections in coalition with CDS,” he announced.
João Cunha e Silva, who is also the president of the Congress Board, considered this decision to “intensify a solid, stable, and beneficial partnership for defending the superior interests of the region and the Madeirans.”
“Finally, it is reiterated that all conditions are in place for ensuring that the defense of Madeira’s and Porto Santo’s interests continues to be a reality and the best solutions and responses to the challenges ahead are found in the next four years, always considering the will, interests, and ambitions of our people,” he concluded.
The PSD won last Sunday’s election with the election of 23 deputies, falling short of an absolute majority by one but this week signed a parliamentary and governmental agreement with the CDS-PP, which obtained one seat in the Legislative Assembly.
The agreement ensures a parliamentary majority in the region and includes the inclusion of the leader of the Christian Democrats in the archipelago, José Manuel Rodrigues, in the executive.
The JPP elected 11 deputies, now taking the position of the opposition leader, while PS secured eight, Chega three, and IL one.
Miguel Albuquerque, who has led the executive since 2015, was made a defendant in a corruption investigation in early 2024. He resigned and was re-elected in an early election in May, but his minority executive fell with the approval of a motion of censure in December.
These were the third legislative elections held in Madeira in about a year and a half, with 14 lists competing in a single constituency: CDU (PCP/PEV), PSD, Livre, JPP, Nova Direita, PAN, Força Madeira (PTP/MPT/RIR), PS, IL, PPM, BE, Chega, ADN, and CDS-PP.
The election took place 10 months after the previous one, following the approval of a motion of censure presented by Chega – justified by judicial investigations involving members of the Regional Government, including Miguel Albuquerque – and the dissolution of the Legislative Assembly by the President of the Republic.
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