“Madeira needs to be studied from a sociological perspective,” stated Raquel Coelho, head of the PTP/MPT/RIR coalition list for the Madeiran legislative elections. She expressed her views on the “incomprehensible” outcome of the recent election held on Sunday, where the PSD won without an absolute majority.
In comments to Lusa, Raquel Coelho emphasized that “Madeira is a case study,” interpreting the PSD’s victory as an indication that Madeirans chose to vote for a government “suspected of corruption.”
“No one can explain this growth, yet again, of the PSD, which was only 300 votes short of an absolute majority, after everything that has happened,” stated the Força Madeira candidate, referring to ongoing judicial proceedings involving allegations of corruption.
Attributing this alleged phenomenon to certain factors, she pointed out Madeira’s proximity to Africa, where “dictatorial regimes” thrive, and the archipelago’s “distant and isolated” status from mainland Europe.
“We are breaking African records for the longevity of the same party in power,” Coelho remarked, noting that Madeira suffers from a “democratic deficit” with significant political “vices” that persist despite judicial investigations.
The PSD has governed the region since the first regional elections in 1976.
For Raquel Coelho, head of the Força Madeira list, it is normal in democracy to win or lose. However, she finds it abnormal for one party, like the PSD, to always win, suggesting that “the game is rigged.”
According to information from the Ministry of Internal Administration’s General Secretariat (MAI), the PTP/MPT/RIR coalition received 789 votes (0.55%) in this regional election, a decline from the individual performances of these parties in previous elections.
In the previous elections in May 2024, the MPT secured 1,222 votes (0.90%), the MPT 577 votes (0.42%), and the RIR 527 votes (0.39%).
Regarding the electoral outcome for the Força Madeira coalition, Raquel Coelho mentioned a “clear tactical vote” for the JPP, which marginalized most smaller parties.
She also highlighted the coalition’s name as a weakness due to insufficient promotion, though she acknowledged that smaller parties lack the resources of larger ones.
“Parties do not compete under equal conditions. Some have a head start of 1,000 meters ahead of other parties in these elections, leading to profound inequality,” she explained.
When asked about the continuity of the Força Madeira coalition post-election, Raquel Coelho explained that a decision is “premature,” as they plan to assess the results “clearly and calmly in the coming days.” She expressed optimism, stating, “I believe this coalition has potential. This was just a small starting point.”
“The Força Madeira coalition does not regret the union of smaller parties. We believe it is the only solution, a union of opposition parties to provide an alternative to the PSD. We only lament and criticize the larger opposition parties, the PS and JPP, for not taking the initiative to form a broad coalition to challenge the PSD’s despotic and corrupt regime,” declared Raquel Coelho.
The PSD emerged victorious in the early regional legislative elections in Madeira, narrowly missing an absolute majority by one deputy, based on provisional official data. The JPP has now become the main opposition party, surpassing the PS.
According to information from the MAI’s General Secretariat, the social democrats garnered 43.43% of the votes (62,085 votes) and secured 23 seats in the Regional Legislative Assembly, which comprises a total of 47 deputies.
The JPP secured 21.05% of the votes (30,094 votes) and won 11 seats in the regional parliament, while the PS obtained 15.64% (22,355 votes) and eight seats in the Regional Legislative Assembly. They were followed by Chega with three deputies, IL and CDS-PP securing one each.
In the single electoral district of the archipelago, which has 47 parliamentary seats, 14 lists contested: CDU (PCP/PEV), PSD, Livre, JPP, Nova Direita, PAN, Força Madeira (PTP/MPT/RIR), PS, IL, PPM, BE, Chega, ADN, and CDS-PP.
