Miguel Albuquerque, who this Thursday was re-elected leader of the PSD/Madeira with 54.3% of the vote, said that “the opponents are not within the party” and expressed confidence in victory if the President of the Republic calls early elections in the region. .
“I think this election [interna] This was very important because it mobilized people. People were free to choose the orientation and party leader they wanted. This gave PSD/Madeira a new dynamic and, above all, legitimized my leadership,” he said.
Miguel Albuquerque spoke at the party headquarters in Funchal after the votes were counted: his list received 2,243 (54.3%) against 1,856 (44.5%) for the list headed by Manuel Antonio Correia, among 4,388 activists able to vote.
“There can be no mental reservations or underground movements in the party. Everything must be laid out in a clean bowl, and there is nothing better than internal democracy for this to happen,” he said.
On the other hand, Albuquerque said that now “everything is open” in view of the decision that the President of the Republic, Marcelo Rebelo de Sousa, makes about the dissolution of the Madeira Legislative Assembly or not, which can only happen from March 24 – Sunday – six months after the regional elections on September 24 2023.
“The SDP, as always, will go to every election to win,” he assured.
Miguel Albuquerque resigned as president of the regional government (PSD/CDS-PP) in January following a political crisis resulting from an investigation into alleged corruption in the archipelago in which he was named as a defendant.
The re-elected PSD/Madeira leader said the party is also able to complete the legislature within the framework of parliamentary agreements, given that the PSD/CDU-PP coalition fell one MP short of an absolute majority last year. elections.
“It depends on the understanding of the President of the Republic, who has listened to the political forces in Madeira,” he stated, and then confirmed: “Whatever the scenario, we are ready to confront it in an assertive and decisive manner and there are no problems. We are a party of elections, we are not afraid of the people’s suffrage, or, moreover, the people’s opinion about our actions.”
Albuquerque recalled that his resignation as president of the regional government was only due to the fact that the PAN withdrew its support under the parliamentary influence agreement with the PSD/CDS-PP coalition, so he is now available to negotiate with other parties, although and without specifying which ones exactly.
“I am not going to talk about agreements with specific political forces. My duty, without ever distorting any obligations and the ideological basis of the SDP, is always to find stability within the parliamentary framework,” he said.
There are nine party forces represented in the Legislative Assembly of Madeira: PSD, PS, JPP, Chega, SDS-PP, PCP, IL, BE and PAN.
“An absolute majority today is almost a mirage in Europe, but the truth is that we have managed to find partners and sufficient dialogue to form this majority,” said Miguel Albuquerque, before adding: “When we go to the polls, if necessary, we continue to be the leading party in Madeira. We are not afraid to go to the polls and are ready, as always, to do so.”
Regarding the internal elections, Miguel Albuquerque guaranteed that there would be no pressure on supporters of the opposition list, but found it “strange” that the activists appointed as regional directors in his administration chose the candidacy of Manuel Antonio Correia.
“Being in a party is not just about being a good politician and smart, it’s about having character,” he said, calling for unity within the party.
“The call that I make today, and I take this moment to congratulate my opponent, is that from now on it is necessary to unite in the goals that must be pursued, and these goals are very simple: to continue to ensure the governance of Madeira and the confidence of the people of Madeira and Porto Santos,” he said.
Of the 4,388 social democratic activists eligible to vote, 4,132 (94%) exercised their right, with 15 blank votes and 18 invalid votes.
Author: Lusa
Source: CM Jornal
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