During a tour of the Santa Cruz municipality, Paulo Cafôfo handed out flowers, interacted with the population and even bought a scratch card at a kiosk, stating that he would only scratch it on election Sunday.

Speaking to journalists, the PS's top candidate for the early elections in Madeira was questioned about the criticism that his proposals are not viable from a budgetary point of view.

"I was criticized about this in 2013, before I won the Funchal Municipal Council. They said that it was not possible to return the IMI [Municipal Property Tax], they said that it was not possible to lower municipal taxes, they said that it was not possible to provide free textbooks, they said that it was not possible to have a municipal programme to support rents, nothing was possible", he replied.

The socialist said that he had demonstrated, as president of the Funchal local authority, that it was possible, and reduced the "brutal" debt, that is, "more than 100 million euros [...], left by Miguel Albuquerque", who until then had been the PSD mayor of the municipality.

"In this regional budget alone, in terms of revenue, we have an increase of 43 million euros and, therefore, it is possible to achieve it, it is all a question of priorities and our commitment is a commitment to responsibility", reinforced Paulo Cafôfo, adding, on the other hand, that it is possible to reduce expenses.

"Our commitments are accounted for", he assured, giving as an example the measures of free nurseries for all and 100% co-payment of tuition fees for Madeiran students, two proposals that total an investment of 7.2 million euros per year.

With tax revenue that "has broken records" and with the cut in expenses for politically appointed positions, for example, Paulo Cafôfo stressed that it is possible and that what is needed "is to invert the priorities".

On Sunday, in an electoral campaign action, the outgoing president of the Government of Madeira and re-candidate for the regional elections on Sunday, Miguel Albuquerque, said that the PSD's promises are "all feasible" and "sustainable from a financial point of view", while the PS "would need "two budgets" to implement its proposals.

Paulo Cafôfo reaffirmed today that "Miguel Albuquerque is isolated, he does not have the support of his party at a national level, even at a regional level he does not have the support of a large part of his party, due to the internal dispute".

"And I also see that he does not have much support from the Madeiran population. He used to, but now he doesn't", he considered, reiterating that the PS's objective for the elections is to "turn the page" in Madeiran politics.

The Madeira legislative elections are taking place with 14 candidacies competing for the 47 seats in the regional parliament, in a single electoral constituency: ADN, BE, PS, Livre, IL, RIR, CDU (PCP/PEV), Chega, CDS-PP, MPT, PSD, PAN, PTP and JPP.

The early elections are taking place eight months after the most recent regional legislative elections, after the President of the Republic dissolved the Madeiran parliament, following the political crisis triggered in January, when the leader of the Regional Government (PSD/CDS-PP), Miguel Albuquerque, was named a defendant in a process in which suspicions of corruption are being investigated.

In September 2023, the PSD/CDS coalition won without an absolute majority and elected 23 deputies. The PS won 11, the JPP five, Chega four, while the CDU, IL, PAN (which signed a parliamentary incidence agreement with the social democrats) and BE obtained one mandate each.

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