Funchal, Madeira, Portugal, May 6, 2025 (Lusa) - Debate on the 16th Government of Madeira (PSD/CDS-PP) programme for the period 2025-2029 begins on Tuesday at 9 a.m. in the Legislative Assembly and ends on Thursday, with approval guaranteed due to the absolute majority formed by social democrats and centrists.
The programme of the executive led by Miguel Albuquerque (PSD), which follows the early elections of 23 March, was delivered to the speaker of the regional parliament, the social democrat Rubina Leal, on 30 April.
At the time, the head of government stressed that the document embodies a ‘synthesis’ of the PSD and CDS-PP programmes consensually agreed in the government coalition agreement and parliamentary focus to ensure an absolute majority, with a view to "continuing the path of economic growth" seen in Madeira in recent years.
The Programme of the 16th Government of Madeira consists of 188 pages and presents its objectives in nine chapters.
Autonomy, development and migration; education, training, science and technology; tourism, environment and culture; economy; health and civil protection; finance; agriculture and fisheries; inclusion, labour and youth; and equipment and infrastructure are the areas highlighted in the programme of Miguel Albuquerque's government, which consists of eight regional secretariats, in addition to the presidency office.
The PSD/CDS-PP coalition executive, which has an absolute majority in the regional parliament (23 Social Democratic MPs and one Christian Democrat, out of a total of 47), places one of its focuses on housing, indicating that it will move forward with 805 new homes by the end of its term.
Health is another priority sector, namely the construction of the new Madeira Central and University Hospital, which should be completed in 2028.
The Madeira Government also stresses that it will continue to return income to citizens, families and businesses through tax cuts, as well as deepening environmental and energy policies and making new investments for social and territorial cohesion.
The debate is scheduled to close on Thursday at 3 p.m., and the Madeira Regional Government's programme will be voted on in the form of a motion of confidence, as provided for in the Political-Administrative Statute and Rules of Procedure of the Legislative Assembly of Madeira.
In addition to the PSD and CDS-PP, the Madeira parliament has representatives from the JPP (11 MPs), PS (eight), Chega (three) and IL (one).
The last programme of the Madeira government, which was a minority government and had the support of the two MPs from the CDS-PP, was approved on 4 July for the four-year period 2024-2028, with 22 votes in favour from the PSD, CDS and PAN, 21 votes against from the PS, JPP and Chega MP Magna Costa, and abstentions from the remaining Chega and Liberal Initiative MPs.
On 17 December 2024, a motion of no confidence tabled by Chega against the Madeira executive was passed, bringing down a Regional Government for the first time in the history of Madeira's parliamentarianism and autonomy.
The political crisis led the country's president, Marcelo Rebelo de Sousa, to call early regional elections for 23 March, which the PSD won, falling one MP short of an absolute majority.
The Social Democrats have governed the autonomous region uninterruptedly since 1976.
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