"I came here to Porto Santo to reaffirm our commitment to housing, which is one of the priorities for Madeira", said the also resigning president of the Regional Government, during a visit to the island during the electoral campaign.

Admitting that he will take advantage of his trip to the island to participate in other actions within the scope of government functions, Miguel Albuquerque recalled that the regional executive (PSD/CDS) foresees, by the end of this year, the completion of 613 homes and, by 2026, another 200 houses, in the affordable rent modality.

"And then, in the next term, my intention is to build 695 homes at controlled costs", he pointed out, repeating the numbers presented on Sunday on the island of Madeira.

In the case of Porto Santo, the also Madeiran social democrat leader mentioned that 30 homes are currently under construction in the affordable rent modality.

"I will also build, in the next term, here in Porto Santo, another 30 homes on government land and that means at controlled costs, which will be placed on the market at prices 30% to 35% lower", he announced.

The re-candidate for the presidency of the Regional Government added that the Porto Santo Municipal Council, led by the PSD, "will also build another 24 homes, also in the controlled cost modality".

These are promises that, according to the social democrat, "will be fulfilled if the PSD forms a government and is elected".

"We are already on the way to fulfilling what is a pressing need for the region, the construction of housing in all municipalities, and we will reinforce this need in the next [term]", he stressed.

Miguel Albuquerque, who has presided over the Government of Madeira since 2015, assured once again that "everything is estimated" and that "the accounts are done", rejecting that the construction of these houses is supported only by European funds.

In the housing sector, he mentioned, there are other types of aid, such as support to lower interest rates, support for cooperatives and the reduction of Value Added Tax (VAT) on construction.

"All this means that the quality housing that is placed on the market will have a cost 35% lower than what is likely to be found on the normal market", he emphasized.

Fourteen candidacies are competing for the 47 seats in the regional parliament: ADN, BE, PS, Livre, IL, RIR, CDU (PCP/PEV), Chega, CDS-PP, MPT, PSD, PAN, PTP and JPP.

The early elections take 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 Albuquerque was named a defendant in an alleged corruption case.

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

Read Also: BE wants to lower VAT and accuses Albuquerque of governing for the rich (Portuguese version)