“The central government, led by PSD and CDS, continues to view Madeira as a distant appendage rather than an integral part of the nation,” stated Rafael Nunes, a deputy from Juntos Pelo Povo (JPP), during a political intervention at the plenary session of the Madeira Legislative Assembly in Funchal.
The JPP representative, from the largest opposition party in the Madeira parliament (holding 11 of the 47 seats), argued that “what is being discussed in the Assembly of the Republic, after five decades of demands, is an affront to the memory of all those who fought to transform the lives of Madeirans to ensure equality, justice, and dignity.”
The people of Madeira are “tired of hearing autonomist speeches when the practice remains centralist,” continuing the “disregard for Madeira’s potential,” said the JPP deputy, expressing “total repudiation” over issues such as the mobility subsidy being “relegated to the specialty and nothing being guaranteed” in the State Budget for 2026.
Emphasizing that the mobility subsidy “is a right, not a luxury,” Rafael Nunes highlighted that hundreds of families will have to advance 800 euros for young people studying outside the region to be able to spend Christmas at home.
This amount, he stressed, represents “almost a salary, which is a shame.”
Also in the plenary session of the Legislative Assembly, PS deputy Marta Freitas presented a resolution project recommending that the Madeira government create and implement an integrated regional program for people with addictive behaviors in Madeira, including a daytime service center, training, reintegration, and transition residences.
Chega’s parliamentary leader, Miguel Castro, also advocated adopting an integrated and urgent package of measures to combat drug addiction and the trafficking of new synthetic drugs in Madeira.
“The region cannot be held hostage to wrong national laws or commissions without effective work. It is time to act, with firm, clear, and feasible measures, reinforcing the work already done by security and health forces, while also requiring coordination, oversight, and immediate accountability,” he said.
For PSD, Joana Silva argued that the Regional Government has been combating the issue of drug addiction for more than two decades, with Madeira pioneering the closure of so-called ‘smartshops’ that sold psychoactive substances.
Gonçalo Maia Camelo, the sole deputy from Iniciativa Liberal, admitted to a “certain laxity” in penalizing consumption, while JPP deputy Paulo Alves advocated for more oversight and prevention campaigns in schools.
The proposals are expected to be voted on in plenary on Thursday.
