Portugal's State Council Meets to Discuss Potential Dissolution of Madeira's Parliament

State Council Meeting Scheduled

The State Council, a political advisory body to the President of the Republic, is set to convene today at 15:00 to deliberate on the potential dissolution of the Legislative Assembly of Madeira. This meeting follows the approval of a motion of censure against the Regional Government, presented by the Chega party and supported by all opposition parties on December 17, 2024.

Reasons Behind the Motion

The motion was justified due to ongoing judicial investigations involving Miguel Albuquerque, the head of the Madeira Government, and four regional secretaries, all of whom have been made defendants in these cases.

Presidential Authority and Expectations

According to Article 133, subsection j of the Constitution, the President of the Republic has the authority to dissolve the Legislative Assemblies of autonomous regions after consulting the State Council and the parties represented therein. Marcelo Rebelo de Sousa convened the State Council on January 7, 2005, following discussions with the seven parties represented in the Madeira Parliament, which advocated for early legislative elections.

Miguel Albuquerque expressed his expectation that the President would call for early elections in March, emphasizing that it is crucial for Madeira to move out of a caretaker government situation without a budget.

Motion of Censure Details

The motion of censure, which marks an unprecedented event in the autonomous region, was supported by PS, JPP, Chega, IL, and PAN, collectively holding more than half of the parliamentary seats. In contrast, the PSD and CDS-PP, which together have 21 deputies, voted against it.

Political Landscape and Future Elections

The approval of the censure motion necessitates the resignation of the Regional Government, which has been in power since June 6. The representative of the Republic for Madeira, Ireneu Barreto, has indicated that all parties favor elections to be held as soon as possible. If the President opts for dissolution, elections must occur at least 55 days later, making March 16 the earliest possible date.

Internal Conflicts in PSD Madeira

While visiting a company in the Free Trade Zone, Miguel Albuquerque also addressed complaints from internal party rival Manuel António Correia regarding delays in responding to a request for an extraordinary congress due to statutory compliance.

Albuquerque reassured that the PSD operates within its statutes and that the Jurisdiction Council is reviewing the request to ensure proper adherence to party regulations.