The CNE, in exceptional cases, allows campaigning in support of Europeans on the eve and on election day in Madeira

The CNE recognizes that, in exceptional cases, electoral actions for Europeans may be carried out on the eve and on election day in Madeira, as long as they take place outside the archipelago and do not involve the “shaping of the will” of the Madeirans.

“In exceptional cases, propaganda actions and publication of texts or images of these actions, which are unlikely to determine the will of the voters of the Legislative Assembly of the region, may be allowed outside the territory of the Autonomous Okrug,” the National Assembly determined. Electoral Commission (CNE).

In the text of this discussion, dated Tuesday but published today, the CNE emphasizes that “this represents the general understanding of the Commission with a view to applying the current legal standards to which it is bound, without prejudice to the assessment of each case in particular.”

The CNE states that, as a rule, “as has always been the case, on the eve and on the day of regional elections, until the polling stations close, no propaganda activities are allowed anywhere in the country.”

However, he adds that in the case of regional elections in Madeira on May 26, “the issue arises related to the propaganda activities associated with the European Parliament elections” scheduled for June 9, the campaign for which coincides with election days. reflections and elections in Madeira.

Recognizing that, in exceptional cases, actions may take place “that are unlikely to determine the will of the voters of the Legislative Assembly of the Region”, the NSN quotes article 147 of the Electoral Law of the Legislative Assembly of the Autonomous Region of Madeira, stressing that anyone who “on or before the election day conducts electioneering by any means is punishable by imprisonment for up to six months and a fine of 50 to 500 euros.”

The official campaign period for the European elections will run from 27 May to 7 June, starting the day after the regional elections in Madeira.

This discussion coincides with the one that the CNE already held in February this year regarding the regional elections in the Azores, whose reflection and election days – February 3 and 4 – coincided with the campaign for early legislative elections in February. 10th of March.

However, CNE considered that the presentation of the Liberal Initiative (LI) election program to the legislature on February 3 was “prohibited by law,” arguing that “the same political force is participating in the elections under the same acronym and with the same abbreviation ” symbol”.

“IL’s electoral program will of course not be announced with a clear indication that none of the proposed measures will be applied to the Autonomous Region of the Azores. This is obviously propaganda prohibited by law,” CNE said in response to the agency Lusa.

Despite this, IL decided to keep the program presentation, arguing that it was “entirely within the law,” and to date, CNE has yet to announce what it will do in connection with the event.

Regarding the regional elections in Madeira, the CNE published another report saying that it “often receives participation as a result of the media broadcasting on election day statements of candidates and political leaders that are understood by a large group of citizens as constituting election propaganda in day when it is prohibited.”

“In this context, the CNE recommends that all participants, be they candidates, political leaders, electoral agents or media workers, refrain from any behavior that may constitute pre-election propaganda on the day of the elections to the Legislative Assembly of the Autonomous Region. Madeira region,” the message says.