Madeira’s regional government president, Miguel Albuquerque, stated on Wednesday that people desire a “Government that governs for four years and want the opportunity to evaluate that Government,” adding that “they are tired of the bubble inherent to some political parties discussing issues unrelated to people’s lives.”
“They want peace, stability, predictability, and someone to govern,” remarked Miguel Albuquerque to journalists as he arrived at the Sana Malhoa Hotel in Lisbon for the National Council of the Social Democratic Party (PSD), emphasizing that the Portuguese “will vote for a candidate for Prime Minister and a direction for Portugal.”
In response to inquiries regarding the solution the PSD devised to secure an absolute majority in Madeira’s Parliament after winning the regional elections last Sunday and whether such measures should be adopted on the mainland, the president of the PSD/Madeira affirmed it positively.
“I think that, at this moment, what is needed is a clarifying and clear campaign because people are tired of misunderstandings and also of something else, which is this hysteric media agenda of social networks, the malice that leads nowhere and only serves populisms,” he emphasized.
When asked about a previous comment by Luís Montenegro, suggesting that he would not seek re-election if he were Miguel Albuquerque, the regional government president stated that “everyone has their opinion.”
“I know who I am, and he [Luís Montenegro] has his opinion, which I respect. I have nothing against the Prime Minister; we stand in solidarity at this moment because what matters is the country, and it is crucial that the PSD, in this coalition, wins the elections to continue having a Government in Portugal,” Miguel Albuquerque stated.
The president of Madeira’s regional government further noted that “it seems Portugal is alienated from what is happening in the European context.”
“Europe is currently experiencing perhaps the biggest change and challenge since World War II. This is a geopolitical change threatening the European physical space, a reduction in the support and coverage of the so-called ‘American umbrella,’ and it’s now essential to define what policies and resources European countries will allocate to defense, security, and digitalization, which will have implications for decisions in Portugal,” he stated.
He added, “We are here discussing trivial issues—whether companies were made or not—that do not matter. At this moment, we need to focus on what matters to the country.”
When questioned about whether the Legislative campaign would center on issues similar to those in the Madeira campaign, Albuquerque stressed, “Mine was not. Mine was a campaign in which I defended what I am saying. Government solution, stability, predictability, security for the people.”
