The representative of the Republic for the autonomous region of Madeira, Ireneu Cabral Barreto, today began receiving the political parties with parliamentary representation, following Sunday’s regional elections, before inviting PSD/CDS-PP to form the regional executive.
The hearing, in accordance with the Constitution of the Republic and the Political-Administrative Statute of the Autonomous Region of Madeira, begins with the Left Bloc (BE), and continues with the People-Animals-Nature (PAN), Liberal Initiative (IL) and Portuguese Communist Party (PCP).
The Social Democratic Center – Popular Party (CDS-PP), Chega and Juntos Pelo Povo (JPP) will be received by Ireneu Barreto in the afternoon at the São Lourenço Palace in Funchal.
The hearings will conclude on Thursday morning with the Socialist Party (PS) and the Social Democratic Party (PSD), which in coalition with the CDS-PP won the elections to the Legislative Assembly of Madeira.
“I’m going to listen to all the parties, talk to them, ask them how they think the next government should be organized,” explained Ireneu Cabral Barreto, speaking to Lusa on Sunday night, after the official provisional results had been announced, which gave victory to the PSD/CDS-PP coalition, but without reaching an absolute majority.
The representative of the Republic said that, “when he has an idea of how it is possible to govern”, he will invite Miguel Albuquerque to present a government, taking into account the PSD/Madeira leader’s statements after the official provisional results are known.
“I can’t predict the outcome of my interviews with the parties,” he said, adding that only after the hearings will he be in a position to make a decision.
Regarding the election results, Ireneu Barreto dismissed the abstention rate of 46.66%, pointing out that “there are too many voters on the electoral roll”, so the real abstention is “perfectly reasonable”.
According to information from the General Secretariat of the Ministry of Internal Affairs, the PSD/CDS-PP coalition won 43.13% of the votes (58,399 votes) and 23 seats in the regional parliament, made up of a total of 47 deputies, failing to win an absolute majority.
Miguel Albuquerque, who in the aftermath of the elections closed the door on any agreement with Chega, confirmed on Tuesday a four-year parliamentary agreement with PAN, thus enabling an absolute majority in the chamber.
Mónica Freitas, PAN’s elected deputy, announced “a parliamentary agreement that PAN proposed to discuss and negotiate with the coalition” and assured that the party “will not take on any governing role, nor will it take on any Secretariat”.
Four years ago, the PSD elected 21 MPs, losing for the first time the absolute majority it had held since 1976, and formed a coalition government with the CDS-PP (three MPs).
The second most voted political force on Sunday was the PS, with 21.30% of the vote and 11 seats, compared to 36.59% of the vote and 19 seats four years ago.
The JPP went from three to five seats, while the CDU (PCP/PEV) managed to keep its single deputy.
In the regional chamber there will be two firsts: Chega with four deputies and IL with one deputy.
In turn, BE and PAN return to the Regional Legislative Assembly, also with one deputy each.
The following voted: PTP, JPP, BE, PS, Chega, RIR, MPT, ADN, PSD/CDS-PP (Somos Madeira coalition), PAN, Livre, CDU and IL.
135,413 of the 253,865 registered voters voted in these elections, representing a turnout of 53.34%.
