The leader of Chega considered today that the postponement of the discussion of the motion of censure in Madeira is illegal and announced that the party will ask the courts to reverse it and the President of the Republic to speak out.
“We have decided to move forward with an urgent request, of a precautionary nature, which, as everyone knows, has to be decided within a few hours, and we will do so, I hope, within the next 24 hours, with the competent administrative jurisdiction,” he said.
In a statement to journalists at the Assembly of the Republic, André Ventura said that Chega wants to “ask the administrative courts for an urgent decision on the absolute illegality that was decided in Madeira” so that the justice system reverses the decision and “tells the Regional Legislative Assembly that this cannot happen, and that it will have to discuss the motion within the eight-day period”.
The Chega leader also called on the President of the Republic to speak out about the postponement until after the discussion of the regional budget for 2025.
“When a government and a parliament are captured by two parties that decide to violate all laws and all rules to survive politically, the President of the Republic, as the guarantor of the regular functioning of the institutions, has to send a clear message that anything goes to cling to power, that anything goes to survive”, he argued.
André Ventura stated that the postponement until December 17 of the discussion of the motion of censure against the Regional Government of Madeira that Chega presented “is an unprecedented illegality” and “a regional coup’.
“This is illegal, this is not provided for in the law, this violates the clear and basic rules of our democracy”, he criticized, accusing the president of the regional government, Miguel Albuquerque, of wanting to “hold on to power”.
The president of Chega argued that “the motion of censure is something urgent because it leads to the fall of the government” and must be discussed within eight days after its submission, “a deadline that is imperative”.
“A government that, in order to survive and cling to power, decides to use illegal means to delay its downfall, is committing a blatant act of illegality,” he accused.
Ventura also criticized the PS for abstaining from voting on the postponement and accused the socialists of cowardice.
On December 17, the Madeira parliament will debate a motion of censure against the minority regional government, presented by Chega, alleging the ongoing legal proceedings involving the president, Miguel Albuquerque, and four regional secretaries, all of whom have been named as defendants.
The discussion will take place after the budget debate for next year. The decision to postpone was taken by the conference of party representatives and Chega filed an appeal to annul it, but the Madeira parliament approved today, in plenary, a request from the president that validates the decision and rejects the appeal.
The request, based on an opinion prepared by the Legal Advisory Office of the Office of the President of the Legislative Assembly, was approved with votes in favor of the PSD and a deputy from the CDS-PP, votes against from JPP, Chega, PAN and IL, and abstention from the PS and the president of the parliament, the Christian Democrat José Manuel Rodrigues.
The motion of censure will be guaranteed approval with the votes of PS, JPP, Chega and IL, which together have an absolute majority, if the announced voting intentions are confirmed. In addition to the PSD, the parliament also includes the CDS-PP (with an agreement with the social democrats) and the PAN.
Miguel Albuquerque was named a defendant at the end of January on suspicion of corruption, abuse of power and prevarication.
The Social Democrat, who has been the head of the executive since 2015, resigned at the time, but won the early elections in May. The approval of the motion of censure would mean the resignation of the Regional Government and the continuation of his duties until a new team is in place.