This Friday, the PS/Madeira party introduced a motion of no confidence in the regional government (PSD/CDS-PP), insisting that the executive leader does not have the political conditions to remain in office and defending the holding of new elections.
“We want to use censorship to confront all political opponents in the Regional Assembly and decide on the future of Madeira,” said the leader of Madeira’s socialist parliament, Victor Freitas, when introducing a vote of no confidence in the regional parliament in Funchal.
The elected Socialist emphasized that, given the scenario of suspicions of corruption that arose two days ago in Madeira, with police searches and the constitution as the accused President of the Madeira Executive, Social Democrat Miguel Albuquerque “does not have the political conditions to retain office.”
“And we must return the right to vote to Madeira and Porto Santos in new elections,” he added.
The president of Madeira’s regional government has been named as a defendant in an investigation into allegations of corruption, abuse of power, malfeasance, attacks on the rule of law and other crimes.
The case also involves two businessmen and the mayor of Funchal, Pedro Calado, three of whom were detained during a police operation launched on January 24 in Madeira and several cities on the continent.
Victor Freitas emphasized that the decision of the PS to present this proposal was made, first of all, after the “refusal of the MHP to support the current Prime Minister.”
“In view of the current situation, we have moved a vote of no confidence this Friday with the natural goal of leading to the fall of the government and early elections,” he said.
On Thursday evening, PAN/Madeira also said that Miguel Albuquerque no longer has conditions to remain in his post, indicating that he will only continue to ensure the viability of the parliamentary influence agreement with the PSD if a new leader is appointed to the executive.
However, the leader of the largest opposition group in the Madeiran parliament (holding 12 of the 47 seats in the hemisphere) refused to support this alternative, recalling “that the people of Madeira […] elected Dr. Miguel Albuquerque as President of the Government.”
Victor Freitas also stressed that “the entire regional government” and Madeira are under suspicion.
The deputy also considered that for the president of the republic “there cannot be double standards,” since in an identical situation at the national level, “no other person was accepted” at the head of the government of the republic.
“Madeira has a government that does not have an absolute majority, that no longer has political support, and the word must be returned to the people,” he insisted.
Victor Freitas said that with the fall of the regional government, the executive branch is “moving into management mode,” pointing to mid-May for early regional legislative elections.
“This is a short period of time for new elections. Democracy is working and we have no doubt that Madeira will not stop because we have a government in control,” he stressed, believing that the region will not suffer in terms of funds from the Recovery Plan and resistance (PRR).
The leader of parliament also added that in the scenario of early elections, “the party president [Paulo Cafofo] He’s at the top of the list, a natural candidate.”
Paulo Cafofo is also a candidate in the national legislative elections to be held on 10 March.
According to Article 61 of the Political-Administrative Statute of Madeira, on the initiative of parliamentary groups, the Regional Legislative Assembly may “vote a motion of no confidence in the regional government regarding the execution of its program or a related matter of regional interest.”
“Problems of mistrust cannot be considered before the expiration of seven days from the date of their presentation,” the same article also states.
Author: Lusa
Source: CM Jornal
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