With practically every political party in Madeira pushing for elections in the wake of the crisis prompted by a criminal probe, the newly-re-elected president of the island’s PSD (ruling party) Miguel Albuquerque is holding out for maintenance of the status quo.
He has been meeting President Marcelo today, as have all the other parties, ahead of a Council of State convening at 6pm to decide ‘what next’.
Mr Albuquerque is quoted as saying he believes parliamentary stability exists in Madeira, and that the current government should be left to continue at the helm.
His political adversary Paulo Cafôfô (PS) emerged from his audience with President Marcelo earlier today saying Portugal’s head of State is more inclined to dissolve Madeira’s parliament and call elections for May 26. UPDATE: Paulo Cafôfô’s interpretation is the one that has ended up being decided on.
All parties except Albuquerque’s supporters in PSD/ Madeira say it was the only solution possible, with the island’s PCP communist party stressing that “elections are the only way out of the unbearable rottenness” into which the island has descended.
