P.S. A defeat like the previous 12
The PS went from 19 deputies to 11 deputies in the regional parliament and lost about 22 thousand votes. There had never been any expectation of victory – as happened in 2019 – but that does not detract from the defeat. It is unknown whether the national administration led by Costa has had any effect. Historically, Madeira has functioned as a world completely immune to what happens on the continent. The PSD always wins in the region, regardless of the government of the republic, socialist or not. As national leader of the PS, António Costa tried not to be influenced and responded as prime minister. He was very quick to greet Miguel Albuquerque’s victory and wished him “good work”. A few weeks ago, the President of the Regional Government had even praised the Government of the Republic (in particular the Ministry of Finance) for its behavior in the construction of the new hospital in Funchal. For Costa, as for all his predecessors in the PS leadership, this was just another defeat for Madeira’s socialists. This has never stopped the national PS from dominating power in the Republic.
PSD. Montenegro is surfing the wave
It is true that this was the second regional election in Madeira won by the PSD without an absolute majority (the first was four years ago). Gone are the days when Jardim won almost two-thirds of the vote (he even surpassed that in 1984). The PSD appears to be making a loss. but in a controlled manner. It was enough for Luís Montenegro to join the Social Democrats’ victory in Madeira and turn it into his victory over António Costa (“Luís Montenegro 0 – António Costa 1″, he said). Locally, it was worth it that the results allowed the PSD to now build a majority without Chega. But from his own words it became clear that this simply does not happen because it does not have to happen: “We are not going to govern Madeira or the country with the support of Chega, because we do not have to. .” A categorical refusal of any understanding with Chega, regardless of the circumstances, is still not part of the PSD leader’s speech.
He’s coming. Big win not enough
Chega won the most votes in the elections in Madeira. The number went from 619 to 12,028, and also went from zero to four elected officials. It is now the fourth largest force in Madeira’s parliament, after the PSD/CDS coalition, the PS and the JPP (a party that is really only Madeiran, although it must formally appear national due to legal imposition). The victory is mainly due to Ventura, who campaigned in Madeira for several days. All he needed was to put himself in a position where a right-wing majority within the PSD was dependent on his party. No matter how fast it grows, Chega remains stuck in the position of a protest party.
PCP. Resist, resist, resist
Although these elections are only regional, they would be the first test of Paulo Raimundo’s leadership in the PCP. And the PCP resisted that, keeping the only elected member it had and even growing its votes (it went from 2,577 to 3,677). Moreover, it increases the lead it already had over the Left Bloc. However, after allowing herself to be overtaken by Chega, as had already happened at national level in the last parliamentary elections, she managed to prevent this from happening to the Liberal Initiative.
IL. The chance to come to power (I)
The Liberal Initiative wanted to see someone elected and succeeded: from 762 votes in 2019 to 3,555 now. For the national leader, Rui Rocha, the point is that the local mathematics would even allow the party, in line with Miguel Albuquerque’s PSD, to jump from opposition to power in Madeira, an essential step in the consolidation of it. However, regional dynamics may not allow this. In any case, IL wanted a seat in the Regional Parliament and achieved it.
PAN. The chance to come to power (II)
Everything pointed yesterday to the high probability that the only elected member of the PAN would come to power, giving the PSD-CDS coalition an absolute majority. For the party’s national leader, Inês Sousa Real, the outcome of the regionals meant a victory. The party now has an elected deputy (there was none) and grew in votes. And this happened despite the fact that the national management had changed the head of the local list days before the deadline for submitting the lists. It now remains to be seen whether the PAN will be the only party to join the deal that will give Miguel Albuquerque a majority in the regional parliament. And if this is confirmed, the country will be able to assume the responsibility of holding the key to political stability. In politics you will have to explain how your party can get along with both the PS and the PSD. Something that only surprises those who have never taken note of the permanent way in which the PAN has said that it does not conform to the left/right dichotomy.
ARE. Sign of life
The Left Bloc had already elected two deputies to Madeira’s parliament. It was in the 2015-2019 legislature. Four years ago he lost these two elected officials, crushed by the bipolarization between the PSD and the PS. Now the bipolarization is over and the bloc has returned with an elected replacement. It went from about 2,500 votes to about 3,000. It proved its worth. For Mariana Mortágua it was the first election test to be overcome. And the PSD-CDS majority was gone – which was also one of the Blockist objectives. However, the elections in Madeira confirmed the idea that BE is still far from having enough strength to become a concern for Chega.
Source: DN
