The Socialist Party (PS) candidate for the early regional elections in Madeira, Paulo Cafôfo, is in the final stretch of the electoral campaign this Thursday. He dismisses the polls and assures that the "only way to guarantee stability is with the PS".

"I don't usually value the polls because the real result will be on May 26, this Sunday. The polls serve many purposes, but not to predict the results. And what we actually feel, in a very honest way, is an enormous desire for change in this region. People know what is at stake and they know that the choice will always be between Albuquerque or myself", Paulo Cafôfo begins by saying in statements to RTP3.

"People also know that voting for Chega, the Liberal Initiative, PAN or CDS will mean a continuity of the PSD and will mean the instability we have seen in recent months. The only way to guarantee, not only a turning of the page, but also stability is with the PS", adds the leader of the PS/Madeira.

Regarding the question of a possible understanding with Chega, to which André Ventura has not closed the door, Cafôfo says that "there is already an understanding between the PSD and Chega, between Miguel Albuquerque and André Ventura".

"This understanding has a consequence, which is to keep everything as it is, not solving any problems. This understanding means that they are hand in hand to prolong everything that is bad in the region", he reiterates.

The socialist also stated that "a protest vote, namely for Chega, is a vote for Miguel Albuquerque", pointing out that the candidate, Miguel Castro, and the party's national leader, André Ventura, "have already admitted the viability and support for Miguel Albuquerque".

"And people know, the people of Madeira and Porto Santo know, that they have two choices: either Miguel Albuquerque to continue as president of the [Regional] Government or Paulo Cafôfo, myself, so that we can transform the region and solve the problems that they have never been able to solve", he insisted.

On this penultimate day of the campaign, the socialists started with a march in the center of Funchal, asking the population for a vote of confidence and arguing that it is necessary to change the course of the region.

They distributed flowers, leaflets and pens, as usual, and received strength and wishes of success from some citizens.

Paulo Cafôfo approached people in the streets, in cafes, and shopkeepers and asked for a vote for the PS. On Rua João Tavira, a hairdresser asked for a bouquet of flowers from the first floor, and Cafôfo threw two flowers to the hairdressers who were at the window.

"We cannot continue to be stuck in this regime and I strongly believe that on May 26 we will have a victory and the PS will form a government and it will be a historic fact. It is not for the PS, it is for this region and for the people of Madeira who deserve it", he said in statements to journalists.

Paulo Cafôfo reaffirmed his commitment to lowering the IRS and VAT if he forms a government, applying the 30% differential allowed by the Regional Finance Law.

Regarding other candidates, namely the outgoing president of the Regional Government and candidate for the PSD, Miguel Albuquerque, who argue that the socialists' proposals are not feasible, the president of the PS/Madeira stressed that "it is a question of priorities" and once again guaranteed that there is "budgetary slack" for the PS measures.

"Do you know what their accounts are? He knows how to add inequality and poverty, and subtract income from the people of Madeira", he reinforced.

The socialist, on the other hand, dismissed the poll released today by the Diário de Notícia das Madeira, which gives victory to the PSD, with 38.1% of the votes, arguing that the polls "serve many purposes but not to decide the results".

Sunday's legislative elections in Madeira will be held with 14 candidates 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 take place eight months after the most recent regional 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, the IL, the PAN (which signed an agreement on parliamentary incidence with the social democrats) and the BE each obtained a mandate.

[News updated at 11:53 AM]

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