Government of Madeira could fall on December 17th with Chega’s motion of censure – Politics

The motion of censure against the Madeiran government, presented by Chega, was scheduled for December 17, after the debate on the Regional Budget for 2025, and if approved by an absolute majority it would imply the dismissal of the PSD’s minority executive.

Chega justifies the motion of censure with judicial investigations involving the president of the executive, Miguel Albuquerque, and four regional secretaries. The five rulers were, in different cases, made defendants.

According to the voting intention already expressed by some parties, the document must be approved, with the favorable votes of Chega (four deputies), PS (11 deputies), JPP (nine deputies) and IL (one deputy). ), which make up 25 seats (an absolute majority requires 24).

The CDS-PP and PAN will still decide the direction of voting.

The Political-Administrative Statute of the Autonomous Region of Madeira determines, in article 62, that the approval of a motion of censure “by an absolute majority of deputies in office” implies the resignation of the Regional Government. Among the reasons for dismissal are the beginning of a new legislature, the presentation of the request for dismissal by the president of the executive, and the death or “lasting physical impossibility” of the president, without reference to the vote on the Regional Budget.

The Government of Madeira could thus fall for the second time this year, after Miguel Albuquerque was accused at the end of January on suspicions of corruption, abuse of power and malfeasance.

The social democrat resigned at the time (after the PAN, with whom he then had an agreement that made a majority viable, took away his trust), but won the early elections in May. The PSD was unable, however, to achieve an absolute majority and, even though it had signed a parliamentary agreement with the CDS-PP, the two parties have a total of 21 deputies.

According to the Political-Administrative Statute, in the event of dismissal, members of the outgoing Regional Government remain in office until the new government takes office and, states article 63, the executive will limit itself to the practice of acts strictly necessary to ensure the management of public affairs in the region.

Also according to the Statute, motions of censure cannot be assessed before seven days have passed after their presentation, a period that, in this case, ended on November 13th (Wednesday), as the document was presented by Chega on the day 06.

The Regulations of the Legislative Assembly of Madeira establish, in article 200, that the debate will begin “on the eighth parliamentary day following the presentation of the motion of censure, and cannot exceed one day, and is deliberated and organized by the conference of party representatives” .

Compliance with this article implied that the discussion and voting on the motion of censure against the Albuquerque executive would take place today, November 18, but on Thursday the plenary of the Legislative Assembly approved it, by majority, with votes in favor of the PSD and one of the two CDS-PP deputies, its postponement to December 17th, after the debate on the region’s Budget for 2025, which takes place between December 9th and 12th.

With the exception of the PSD (19 deputies), the legality of the decision raised doubts in the parliamentary benches — PS, JPP, Chega, PAN and IL — and also in the president of the Legislative Assembly, the Christian Democrat José Manuel Rodrigues, who abstained. .

Chega took precautionary action with the Administrative and Fiscal Court of Funchal in order to reverse the plenary decision.

Initially, the president of the Madeira parliament intended to schedule the debate on the motion of censure for today, based on the Rules of Procedure, but the PSD presented an oral request at the conference of party representatives, on November 12th, requesting the postponement to December 17th. .

PSD, PS, CDS-PP and PAN voted in favor, JPP abstained and Chega voted against. IL was not present.

However, JPP and IL presented oral requests for the decision of the conference of party representatives to be voted on in plenary, while Chega presented an appeal to annul the decision and maintain the deadlines stipulated in the Rules of Procedure.

On the 14th (Thursday), the Madeira parliament approved by a majority in plenary – with the votes against from JPP, Chega, PAN and IL and the abstention of the PS and the president of the assembly – a request from José Manuel Rodrigues that validates the decision of the conference of representatives.

” without prejudice to the competence of the conference of party representatives to deliberate on this matter, as well as on the organization of the debate, in accordance with what is considered at that headquarters, as well as what results from the deliberation of the Legislative Assembly taken in plenary on the matter.”

The dissolution of the Madeiran parliament can only occur six months after the previous elections, which means it is possible from the end of November.

According to article 19 of the Electoral Law for the Legislative Assembly of the Autonomous Region of Madeira, in the event of dissolution, the President of the Republic sets the date for the election of deputies “at least 55 days in advance”.

Source: www.cmjornal.pt