Albuquerque abandons ‘excessive triumphalism’ and resumes appeal to the majority

The head of the PSD/CDU-PP coalition list for Sunday’s regional elections in Madeira, Miguel Albuquerque, rejected “excessive triumphalism” on Tuesday, stressing that no one has ever won an election in the polls and that the majority must be governed.

“Go vote, there are no early victories, I have never seen anyone win an election in the polls, the polls are positive, but it is important that people understand that only on the day, only on election day, with a vote cast in the ballot box, determines the future,” Miguel Albuquerque said at a rally in Câmara de Lobos on the day another poll was published that credited the Somos Madeira coalition with winning with a majority in Sunday’s elections.

Renewing calls not to abstain from voting, which he made every day, Miguel Albuquerque emphasized the importance of voting, stressing that if the coalition does not have a “majority, it is impossible to govern” Madeira.

“We need an absolute majority to govern Madeira. If we don’t have a majority, it is impossible to govern this land,” he said, insisting that it is impossible to run a regional government by “debating everything every day at all times.”

Earlier, the leader of the SDS-PP and number two on the coalition list, Somos Madeira Rui Barreto, also repeated his call to vote in Sunday’s elections, refusing an early victory.

“You can often hear in cafes that ‘it’s been won,’ but nothing has been won,” he warned, comparing elections to a football match, which also requires goals to win.

Upon arrival at the rally, in statements to journalists, Miguel Albuquerque already spoke about the fight that the coalition would have to wage against abstentions, pointing to this as the biggest problem before the elections.

“We will continue to do what we have done so far, which is to try to prevent the demobilization of our electorate,” he said, believing that despite the coalition having “positive polls” it could be harmful “in terms of demobilization of people”. vote. .

Asked if he was afraid of those who were undecided, the PSD/Madeira leader and president of the regional government since 2015 simply replied: “I’m afraid of excessive triumphalism.”

Regarding the decision announced today that the PSD leader will take part in the last day of the election campaign and be present on election night in Madeira, Miguel Albuquerque rejected the idea that Luis Montenegro would want to “take advantage of his victory” in the regional elections.

“You can take full advantage of the fact that this is also a victory for him, for the party, and that he is the leader of the party,” the Social Democratic candidate said, also confirming his inability to govern in a minority.

“I’m in the minority, I negotiate specific agreements, I don’t govern,” he repeated, recalling that the “cards” were “laid on the table even before the elections.”

In the previous regional elections in 2019, the PSD failed to win an absolute majority in the region for the first time since 1976, opting to make a coalition commitment with the SDS-PP to guarantee its continuity in governance.

There are 13 candidates vying for the Madeira legislature, vying for 47 seats in the regional parliament in one electoral district.

PTP, JPP, BE, PS, Chega, RIR, MPT, ADN, PSD/CDS-PP (Somos Madeira coalition), PAN, Livre, CDU (PCP/PEV) and IL are the political forces vying for the vote.

In the previous regional elections, the Social Democrats elected 21 deputies, and the SDS-PP – three deputies of parliament. The PS received 19 mandates, the AKP – three and the CDU – one.