The representative of the Republic of the Azores is scheduled to hear the parties on February 19 and 20.

The representative of the Republic of the Azores, Pedro Catarino, plans to listen to the views of the political parties represented in the Legislative Assembly on February 19 and 20, after the official results of Sunday’s regional elections are published.

“Given the legislative deadlines and the schedule established for the overall count of results, it is anticipated that political party hearings should take place, barring unforeseen circumstances, on February 19 and 20,” the press release sent out said. this Monday outside the office of Pedro Catarino.

The representative of the Republic of the Autonomous Region of the Azores reports that “by analogy with the practice followed in previous electoral laws, it will wait for the publication in the Official Gazette of the official map with the results of the elections in order to proceed to the hearing of the political parties represented in the Legislative Assembly, with a view to the appointment of the President regional government and the subsequent appointment of a new executive branch.”

Pedro Catarino also congratulates “all Azoreans, voters and candidates for the flawless course of the electoral process and, in particular, for the example of civic participation, which even led to a significant reduction in the number of abstentions.”

“Democracy and autonomy left yesterday’s elections [domingo] clearly strengthened,” he emphasizes.

According to Article 81, paragraph 1, of the Political-Administrative Statute of the Azores, “the President of the Regional Government is appointed by the representative of the Republic, taking into account the results of the elections to the Legislative Assembly, after consultation with the political parties represented in it.”

The head of the regional executive will take office before the Legislative Assembly.

Article 70, concerning the commencement of the work of the legislature, states that the Legislative Assembly “meets itself on the tenth day after the general tabulation of the results of the elections” and at the first meeting “verifies the powers of its members.” members and chooses your table.”

The PSD/CDU/PPM coalition won regional elections in the Azores on Sunday with 42.08% of the vote, electing 26 deputies, but was three short of an absolute majority, according to preliminary official results.

Jose Manuel Boleiro, leader of the PSD/CDU-PP/PPM coalition that has ruled the Azores since 2020, said he would rule with a “relative majority” for the next four years, avoiding saying whether he would reach an agreement with the Azores islands. Chega, who overtook two to five deputies.

The PS is the second force in the archipelago with 23 mandates (35.91%), followed by Chega with five mandates (9.19%).

The Left Bloc party (2.54%), the Liberal Initiative (2.15%) and the People-Animals-Nature party (1.65%) each elected one regional deputy, adding to the 57 elected.

Abstentions stood at 49.67%, representing a higher voter turnout compared to the previous election, in which 54.59% of those registered did not vote.

According to the General Secretariat of the Ministry of Internal Affairs (MAI), 229,830 voters were registered in this election and 115,662 people voted, meaning 49.67% of the total abstained.

In 2020, the PS won the regional legislative elections but lost its absolute majority, and Pedro Catarino appointed the PSD/Azores leader as president of the regional government, which formed a post-election coalition with the CDS-PP and PPM and signed parliamentary influence agreements with Chega and the Liberal Initiative. which guaranteed him 29 of the 57 deputies of the Legislative Assembly of the Azores.

IL’s only MP and an independent MP (formerly Chega) broke agreements in March 2023, and the region’s 2024 budget proposal failed in November when PS, BU and IL voted against and abstained from CH and PAN, leading the President of the Republic to announce early elections.