2023 Madeiran regional election

2023 Madeiran regional election
← 2019 24 September 2023 2024 →
47 seats to the Legislative Assembly of Madeira
24 seats needed for a majority
Opinion polls
Turnout53.3% Decrease 2.2 pp
  First party Second party Third party
 
Miguel Albuquerque, Conferências do Mar, Crescimento Azul, A Madeira, As Regiões Ultraperiféricas e o Atlântico, Funchal, 10 de julho de 2017 - Image 141026 (cropped).jpg
1719242677132 20240624 GONCALVES Sergio PT 004.jpg
JPP
Leader Miguel Albuquerque Sérgio Gonçalves Élvio Sousa
Party PSD PS JPP
Alliance We Are Madeira
Leader since 10 January 2015[a] 13 March 2022 27 January 2015
Last election 24 seats, 45.2%[b] 19 seats, 35.8% 3 seats, 5.5%
Seats won 23 11 5
Seat change Decrease 1 Decrease 8 Increase 2
Popular vote 58,394 28,840 14,933
Percentage 43.1% 21.3% 11.0%
Swing Decrease 2.1 pp Decrease 14.5 pp Increase 5.5 pp
  Fourth party Fifth party Sixth party
 
Miguel Castro - CHEGA.jpg
Edgar-silva-2016-01-11.jpg
Leader Miguel Castro Edgar Silva Nuno Morna
Party CH PCP IL
Alliance CDU
Leader since 2022 1996 2019
Last election 0 seats, 0.4% 1 seats, 1.8% 0 seats, 0.5%
Seats won 4 1 1
Seat change Increase 4 Steady 0 Increase 1
Popular vote 12,029 3,677 3,555
Percentage 8.9% 2.7% 2.6%
Swing Increase 8.5 pp Increase 0.9 pp Increase 1.1 pp
  Seventh party Eighth party
 
Leader Mónica Freitas Roberto Almada
Party PAN BE
Leader since 11 August 2023 18 March 2023
Last election 0 seats, 1.5% 0 seats, 1.7%
Seats won 1 1
Seat change Increase 1 Increase 1
Popular vote 3,046 3,035
Percentage 2.2% 2.2%
Swing Increase 0.6 pp Increase 0.5 pp
President before election

Miguel Albuquerque
PSD

Elected President

Miguel Albuquerque
PSD

Regional elections were held in Madeira on 24 September 2023,[1] to determine the composition of the Legislative Assembly of the Autonomous Region of Madeira. The election replaced all 47 members of the Madeira Assembly, and the new members will then elect the President of the Autonomous Region.

The incumbent president, Miguel Albuquerque from the Social Democratic Party (PSD), led a coalition government between the Social Democrats and the CDS – People's Party, and defended the dominance of the Social Democratic Party in the islands since 1976. The PSD and CDS–PP contested the election in a joint coalition.[2]

The "We are Madeira" coalition, between the Social Democratic Party (PSD) and the CDS – People's Party (CDS–PP), won the election with 43 percent of the votes but, despite polling predictions, failed to hold on to their majority and won 23 seats, one short of a majority. On election night, Miguel Albuquerque announced he would present a "parliamentary majority solution" very shortly, but didn't give much details nor said with whom, although he refused any talks with CHEGA.[3]

The Socialist Party (PS) suffered a big fall in support gathering just 21 percent of the votes and 11 seats, compared with their best results ever in 2019, almost 36 percent and 19 seats. Unlike 2019, it failed to win a single parish and municipality.[4] Together for the People (JPP) had their best showing ever, winning 11 percent of the votes and 5 seats, two more compared with 2019.[5]

Unitary Democratic Coalition (CDU) was able to hold on to their sole seat and even increased their share of vote to 2.7 percent, compared with the 1.8 percent in 2019.[6] CHEGA (CH), which faced legal disputes regarding their presence on the ballot due to annulments of internal party decisions and that were settled with a Constitutional Court ruling that confirmed that the party could be on the ballot,[7] had a very strong showing, winning almost 9 percent of the votes and electing 4 members to the regional parliament, a 8.5 percent growth compared with 2019.[8]

The Liberal Initiative (IL) won 2.6 percent of the votes and elected one seat. The regional leader, Nuno Morna said he was open to talks with the PSD/CDS–PP coalition.[9] Likewise, People-Animals-Nature (PAN), which won 2.2 percent of the votes and returned after 8 years to the regional parliament, was also open to supporting a PSD/CDS–PP government.[10] Left Bloc (BE) polled 2.2 percent and also returned to the Madeira Parliament after losing their seat in 2019.

Two days after the election, PAN and the PSD/CDS–PP signed a deal that ensured a majority in the regional Parliament.[11] PSD/CDS–PP accepted a series of PAN demands and Miguel Albuquerque said he was "very pleased" by the outcome of the deal.[12] Also, Albuquerque didn't rule out occasional agreements with the Liberal Initiative.[13]

The turnout in these elections decreased compared to the previous one, with 53.3 percent of voters casting a ballot, compared with the 55.5 percent in the 2019 elections.


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  1. ^ "Eleições na Madeira marcadas para 24 de setembro ", Diário de Notícias, 4 July 2023. Retrieved 4 July 2023.
  2. ^ "PSD e CDS juntos (de novo) na corrida à liderança do Governo da Madeira em 2023 ", Público, 22 July 2022. Retrieved 22 July 2022.
  3. ^ "Sem maioria absoluta, Albuquerque promete solução estável no Parlamento", Público, 24 September 2023. Retrieved 25 September 2023.
  4. ^ "Secretário-geral adjunto do PS admite que resultado "fica aquém do esperado"", Diário de Notícias da Madeira, 24 September 2023. Retrieved 25 September 2023.
  5. ^ "JPP assinala melhor resultado de sempre com cinco deputados", RTP, 24 September 2023. Retrieved 25 September 2023.
  6. ^ "Edgar Silva destaca que CDU não desapareceu na Madeira", Rádio Renascença, 24 September 2023. Retrieved 25 September 2023.
  7. ^ https://expresso.pt/politica/partidos/2023-09-04-Constitucional-decidiu-Chega-pode-concorrer-as-regionais-da-Madeira-b90d384c "Constitucional decidiu: Chega pode concorrer às regionais da Madeira"], Expresso, 4 September 2023. Retrieved 26 September 2023.
  8. ^ "Ventura fala em "resultado histórico" do Chega e critica sondagens", TSF, 24 September 2023. Retrieved 25 September 2023.
  9. ^ "IL abre caminho a acordo na Madeira: "Não rejeitamos conversar"", Rádio Renascença, 24 September 2023. Retrieved 25 September 2023.
  10. ^ "PAN de "portas abertas" a coligação pós-eleitoral ", RTP, 24 September 2023. Retrieved 25 September 2023.
  11. ^ "PAN confirma acordo com PSD/CDS e viabiliza maioria absoluta", CNN Portugal, 26 September 2023. Retrieved 26 September 2023.
  12. ^ ""Temos uma plataforma de estabilidade para governar nos próximos quatro anos". Miguel Albuquerque garante estar "muito satisfeito" após negociações com PAN", CNN Portugal, 26 September 2023. Retrieved 26 September 2023.
  13. ^ "Albuquerque admite que pode ter acordos pontuais com a IL", Diário de Notícias da Madeira, 26 September 2023. Retrieved 26 September 2023.