The leader of the CDS-PP in the Azores accuses the PS of collaborating with Chega to dismantle the coalition

The leader of the CDS-PP Açores and the vice-president of the Azores executive, Arthur Lima, accused this Friday the PS of joining Chega with the aim of overthrowing the government of the PSD/CDS-PP/PPM coalition and the leader of Chega de being undemocratic.

“I think that the PS in this case associated itself with Chega. I’m sorry to say this, but I think they formed a negative PS coalition with Chega to ultimately put pressure on the government not to present their program, but we are going to present our program to him,” Arthur Lima told reporters on the sidelines laying the foundation stone for a project to build 13 houses on the island of Terceira.

The SDS-PP/NPM coalition, which has governed the region since 2020, won the elections on the 4th, but elected 26 of the 57 members of the Legislative Assembly and needed three more to achieve an absolute majority.

PSD/Azores President and coalition leader José Manuel Bolheiro announced on election night that he would form a government with a relative majority without agreements with other parties.

On Friday, PS/Açores President Vasco Cordeiro said the party, which elected 23 deputies, would vote against the coalition government’s program.

Chegui regional leader José Pacheco insisted that the party, which has five deputies in the Azores Legislative Assembly, will only be able to make the government’s program viable if it becomes part of the executive and if CDS-PP and PPM remain. out.

Asked this Friday about the statements of the leaders of the two largest opposition parties, Arthur Lima expressed regret that the PS, the party “the founder of democracy in Portugal and the founder of autonomy” in the Azores, has taken a “radical position” that is “combined” with Chega’s position.

Regarding José Pacheco’s demand that the CDS-PP and PPM stay away from the Azores executive, the centrist leader replied that “this is the first proof that someone does not have the slightest respect for democracy and its opponents.”

“This coalition went to the vote, it is a democratic coalition created between democratic parties who in 2020 agreed on the existence of a non-socialist alternative that has operated in parliament for 24 years. This statement by this gentleman is anti-democratic and we do not accept it, we reject it completely in this statement,” he accused.

The regional leader of the CDS-PP insisted the coalition had all the conditions to form a minority government and warned of the danger of the region spending a year with one leader.

“There are no agreements with anyone. The President has already announced that we will form a minority government. We will submit a minority government to the Assembly, whoever wants to approve it approves, whoever does not want it, votes against it. We are for stability,” he said.

“Keep in mind that if the government falls, the Azores could be left under administration for a year, and that’s bad for the economy, that’s bad for families, that’s bad for nobody. Now everyone will take on their responsibilities,” he added.

Asked if he would once again take up the position of vice president in a second coalition government, Arthur Lima replied that the PSD leader must determine the configuration of the executive branch and declare it, but admitted that he has “the desire to continue working for the benefit of the Azoreans in any folder “

At the inauguration of a project to build 13 houses in the parish of São Bras, he expressed confidence that the leader of the coalition would be in power at the time of its inauguration.

“I believe that in a year it will be the coalition government that will open these houses. I don’t know who will open them, but it will certainly be a coalition government, and I will definitely be in this government,” he said. stated.

The representative of the Republic of the Azores hears from parties with seats in parliament on Monday and Tuesday before appointing the next president of the regional government.