President has knuckles rapped!

“Flagrant and constant violation of the neutrality”

JM reports that the president of the right-wing Chega party, André Ventura, today considered it unacceptable for the President of the Government of Madeira, Miguel Albuquerque, to make the electoral campaign for the regional elections on Sunday “an act of inauguration” of his executive.

“I hope that the National Elections Commission [CNE] is exemplary in applying measures in relation to this matter, otherwise we will have this until the end of the campaign. And I think this is very negative”, said André Ventura, speaking to journalists at an initiative that took place in the municipality of Ribeira Brava.

The leader of Chega highlighted that, in this electoral campaign, there has been “a flagrant and constant violation of the neutrality duties of those who perform government functions, with the inauguration of works and constructions, which belong to the holder of the position but not to the candidate” .

“This is unacceptable. This is taxpayers’ money, […] therefore it is unacceptable for the president of the Regional Government to use this as a form of campaign”, he reinforced.

However, the CNE today warned Miguel Albuquerque “to refrain, in the future and until the end of the electoral process, from making statements, taking positions or carrying out acts that, directly or indirectly, favour or harm one candidacy to the detriment or advantage of others, or that in any way call into question the fulfilment of the duties of neutrality and impartiality” to which he is obliged by the Electoral Law of the Legislative Assembly of the Autonomous Region of Madeira (LEALRAM).

In statements to journalists, André Ventura also expressed satisfaction with a survey released today by Jornal da Madeira, according to which Chega could elect three parliamentarians next Sunday.

The leader reaffirmed that Chega/Madeira will “fight to be the third political force” in the autonomous region.