🇵🇹 Portugal's politics and elections 2.0

[𝕭𝖆𝖕𝖙𝖎𝖘𝖙𝖆 𝕸𝖎𝖓𝖔𝖑𝖆]

Do you have opinion polling for the Azorean election?

[𝕭𝖆𝖕𝖙𝖎𝖘𝖙𝖆 𝕸𝖎𝖓𝖔𝖑𝖆]

Do you have opinion polling for the Azorean election?

For the moment there's no polling from Azores and we'll see if any poll is released. Polling Azores is a nightmare for pollsters as almost 80% of the Azores population live in the two main islands, São Miguel and Terceira, and the rest in the smaller remaining 7 islands. It's very difficult to gather reliable voting samples from these small islands, so pollsters avoid doing polls in the Azores. In 2016, the only poll failed miserably in predicting the result as it predicted a 61% to 20% victory for the PS, when the actual result was 46% to 31% in favour of the PS. In 2012, the only poll also failed to predict the comfortable victory of the PS.

However, it's basically a forgone conclusion that the PS will win and probably with a bigger majority as the government's handling of the Covid-19 pandemic is widely approved by the electorate.

Very interesting.

Are Azores traditionally socialist leaning?

[𝕭𝖆𝖕𝖙𝖎𝖘𝖙𝖆 𝕸𝖎𝖓𝖔𝖑𝖆]

Do you have opinion polling for the Azorean election?

For the moment there's no polling from Azores and we'll see if any poll is released. Polling Azores is a nightmare for pollsters as almost 80% of the Azores population live in the two main islands, São Miguel and Terceira, and the rest in the smaller remaining 7 islands. It's very difficult to gather reliable voting samples from these small islands, so pollsters avoid doing polls in the Azores. In 2016, the only poll failed miserably in predicting the result as it predicted a 61% to 20% victory for the PS, when the actual result was 46% to 31% in favour of the PS. In 2012, the only poll also failed to predict the comfortable victory of the PS.

However, it's basically a forgone conclusion that the PS will win and probably with a bigger majority as the government's handling of the Covid-19 pandemic is widely approved by the electorate.

Very interesting.

Are Azores traditionally socialist leaning?

Azores is one the poorest regions of Portugal and is very dependent on regional state support, the poverty rate is above 30% in the region. It has a somewhat conservative population but that votes, currently, in the PS because the PSD doesn't offer anything different. But it wasn't always like this. Azores was actually a PSD bastion until 1996, when the region was led by Mota Amaral. In 1996, he left the region to become an MP in Lisbon and the PS narrowly won the 1996 elections and since then have hold on to power. Since 1996, the PSD has only won 3 elections in the islands, 2 General elections and 1 European election.

Wow, very interesting political history.

Thank you!

[𝕭𝖆𝖕𝖙𝖎𝖘𝖙𝖆 𝕸𝖎𝖓𝖔𝖑𝖆]

Do you have opinion polling for the Azorean election?

For the moment there's no polling from Azores and we'll see if any poll is released. Polling Azores is a nightmare for pollsters as almost 80% of the Azores population live in the two main islands, São Miguel and Terceira, and the rest in the smaller remaining 7 islands. It's very difficult to gather reliable voting samples from these small islands, so pollsters avoid doing polls in the Azores. In 2016, the only poll failed miserably in predicting the result as it predicted a 61% to 20% victory for the PS, when the actual result was 46% to 31% in favour of the PS. In 2012, the only poll also failed to predict the comfortable victory of the PS.

However, it's basically a forgone conclusion that the PS will win and probably with a bigger majority as the government's handling of the Covid-19 pandemic is widely approved by the electorate.

Very interesting.

Are Azores traditionally socialist leaning?

Azores is one the poorest regions of Portugal and is very dependent on regional state support, the poverty rate is above 30% in the region. It has a somewhat conservative population but that votes, currently, in the PS because the PSD doesn't offer anything different. But it wasn't always like this. Azores was actually a PSD bastion until 1996, when the region was led by Mota Amaral. In 1996, he left the region to become an MP in Lisbon and the PS narrowly won the 1996 elections and since then have hold on to power. Since 1996, the PSD has only won 3 elections in the islands, 2 General elections and 1 European election.

Wow, very interesting political history.

Thank you!

And about that 1996 election, which changed the political landscape of the Azores, all could had been different. In that election, the PS won more votes but tied with the PSD in terms of seats, 24 each. The PSD started negotiations with the CDS to form a coalition, together PSD+CDS had 27 seats, enough for a majority, but the then President of the Republic, Jorge Sampaio, refused to accept a PSD/CDS coalition government arguing that the party who won was the PS and should form a government, adding that he would call snap election then to accept a PSD/CDS government.

So... I would argue that Jorge Sampaio was pretty bold.
Anyway, thank you for all the information you are sharing in this thread! Very comprehensive.

[𝕭𝖆𝖕𝖙𝖎𝖘𝖙𝖆 𝕸𝖎𝖓𝖔𝖑𝖆]

2021 Presidential elections: Twitter meltdown of André Ventura after Ana Gomes confirms her run for the presidency.

André Ventura, CHEGA leader, lashed out against Ana Gomes and had a mini meltdown on Twitter, accusing Ana Gomes of the candidate of the minorities and says he will resign from party leader if she polls ahead of him in the elections:

https://twitter.com/AndreCVentura/status/1303130317365096448

Ana Gomes is going to be the worst presidential candidate ever: hysterical, obsessed with her pet enemies, friend of the minorities who live off our work. If she happens to poll in front of me, I would resign as leader of the Chega. It will not happen!

Well, the race is on. The debates will be... interesting.

Ouch!

Where is the cancel culture woke mob for this racist misogynist?

(/s but actually not)

By the way: which groups do people usually refer to when they say "minorities" in Portugal?

[𝕭𝖆𝖕𝖙𝖎𝖘𝖙𝖆 𝕸𝖎𝖓𝖔𝖑𝖆]

Ouch!

Where is the cancel culture woke mob for this racist misogynist?

(/s but actually not)

By the way: which groups do people usually refer to when they say "minorities" in Portugal?

There was a big uproar on the media and social media because of this tweet, like almost always when Ventura tweets something. Pundits accuse Ventura of using everything to gain votes and social media accuses him of being, like you said, misogynist and racist. The minorities he's talking is most likely the gypsy community, a community he is, constantly, insulting and accusing of living of state money.

Also, he has called Marisa Matias, BE candidate, the "marijuana candidate" and a "somewhat Communist Mother Teresa of Calcutta".

Good to know that Portugal has a little Trump growing.

Also, anti-ziganism is a state of mind in Europe, sadly, but I find his wording particularly strange. In Italy I am used to rhetoric that calls the Roma by name.

For Matias, if she really is a "somewhat Communist Mother Teresa of Calcutta", I'd vote for her immediately haha.

[𝕭𝖆𝖕𝖙𝖎𝖘𝖙𝖆 𝕸𝖎𝖓𝖔𝖑𝖆]

Good to know that Portugal has a little Trump growing.

Also, anti-ziganism is a state of mind in Europe, sadly, but I find his wording particularly strange. In Italy I am used to rhetoric that calls the Roma by name.

For Matias, if she really is a "somewhat Communist Mother Teresa of Calcutta", I'd vote for her immediately haha.

The term we use, here in Portugal, is "ciganos". This community has always been target of attacks in the past curiously by basically all major parties, from PS to CDS, but Ventura and his party have now the monopoly to the attacks towards the gypsy community.

About Ventura being a little Trump, I think that maybe that's more a compliment to him. Trump always had a pattern on women, minorities, you name it, while Ventura, in my view, is full blown opportunist who made a 180º change of his beliefs in just 2/3 years. In the past, as a young college grad student, Ventura was in favour of abortion, euthanasia, gay marriage and that church should not influence politics, particularly on gender politics. He also defended, in his academic thesis, that minorities are being hurt and stigmatized and came out against the "penal populism", meaning politicians that punish minorities in order to be popular with voters. He also defended more immigration to Portugal.

Now, he's against everything that is written above and his defense is that he was too young back then and that, about his thesis, he separates science from politics.

About what he said about Marisa Matias, I don't know what that even means, to be honest. It's just some lame attack, frankly.

Trump has always had a pattern on women and minorities but he is an opportunist too. He used to be vocally pro-choice, once talked about higher taxes on the wealthy, and so on.

I imagine that the comment about Matias is a way to disparage her as some kind of misguided idealist who fetishizes the poor and the immigrants.

[𝕭𝖆𝖕𝖙𝖎𝖘𝖙𝖆 𝕸𝖎𝖓𝖔𝖑𝖆]

Ventura is a very intelligent and unprincipled man who saw his chance for power and took it. It's very obvious that he doesn't believe what he preaches in the slightest. However I don't understand his move saying he'll resign if Ana Gomes beats him. He couldn't have done her a bigger favor and I dare say he may have ensured that she will beat him.

Aside from both being female left-wingers with EU experience I don't see that much overlap between Marisa and Ana. Marisa is a standard BE candidate for BE voters and is essentially standing as the face of a party and focusing on their pet issues. Gomes has a much more widespread appeal and running as an independent with her reputation as a brave anti-corruption maverick rather than being a PS apparatchik is the strongest point in her favor.

That sounds like a gigantic self-own, true.

On the other hand he may find a way not to respect his pledge anyways.

[𝕭𝖆𝖕𝖙𝖎𝖘𝖙𝖆 𝕸𝖎𝖓𝖔𝖑𝖆]

There is something absolutely bizarre in the idea that local referendums are so incredibly rare yet one was called on whether to open a bridge to car traffic.
One would think that if these matters are decided by referendums, a lot of other matters should.

[𝕭𝖆𝖕𝖙𝖎𝖘𝖙𝖆 𝕸𝖎𝖓𝖔𝖑𝖆]

There is something absolutely bizarre in the idea that local referendums are so incredibly rare yet one was called on whether to open a bridge to car traffic.
One would think that if these matters are decided by referendums, a lot of other matters should.

Local referendums in Portugal are quite rare due, mainly, to bureaucracy. There have been many attempts by city halls to hold referendums on several issues, but, the Constitutional Court blocks the majority of these referendums because of technical issues and other legal issues. The lack of interest from the electorate is also another reason many city halls to not hold referendums.

In Italy the Constitutional Court decides which national referenda are admissible but I don't think it has power on local ones. Interesting though.

[𝕭𝖆𝖕𝖙𝖎𝖘𝖙𝖆 𝕸𝖎𝖓𝖔𝖑𝖆]

Why are there so many debates lmao

And do we have Azores polling? I would especially like to compare it with the national polls you posted yesterday.

[𝕭𝖆𝖕𝖙𝖎𝖘𝖙𝖆 𝕸𝖎𝖓𝖔𝖑𝖆]

Why are there so many debates lmao

And do we have Azores polling? I would especially like to compare it with the national polls you posted yesterday.

In Portugal it's quite common to have a lot of debates. The media, but also political parties, like to do one-on-one debates because, especially for the smaller parties, it gives them a big spot in front of the two big ones, PS and PSD. And even in general elections, there's a lot of debates, outside the big 4 networks (RTP, SIC, TVI and CMTV), on radio between head candidates in each district and in smaller regional TV stations. So, there's always a lot of debates.

No polling yet from Azores. We may have one or two polls in October. We'll see. The only poll certain is the RTP exit poll, because they have filled the papers to the election commission. But it's a forgone conclusion. The PS will hold their majority and the PSD will probably hold on to their faithfull 30% of voters. The big doubt is what will happen to the smaller parties as the Azores electoral system is a bit bipolarized between PS and PSD. My hunch is that maybe PAN will win a seat, CDU could be out of the regional parliament and BE surpasses CDS. Don't think CHEGA and IL will win seats. Oh, and of course, PPM will win the Corvo seat.

What do you mean that the Azores are a bit bipolarized? It seems to me that all Portugal is a bit bipolarized. PS and PSD are by far the most relevant.
Are the smaller parties especially weak out there in the Atlantic?

[𝕭𝖆𝖕𝖙𝖎𝖘𝖙𝖆 𝕸𝖎𝖓𝖔𝖑𝖆]

2021 budget: Marcelo Rebelo de Sousa says PSD has to pass the budget if the left parties fail.

What is the likelihood that the left-wing parties fail to reach an agreement with PS on the budget and PSD actually needs to step in?
It sounds like something that would destabilize the situation a lot, especially given Rui Rio's remarks. Of course well, I am biased towards Costa/the government/the left-wing to a fault, but I wouldn't like to see it happen.*

Also, Marcelo Rebelo de Sousa sounds, ahem, very presidential. Does he have the stellar approval ratings I'm guessing he has?

*indeed I'd say the very healthy polling of the left in Portugal is reason no. 2 why I follow this thread a lot, reason no. 1 being that your posts are pretty engaging.

[𝕭𝖆𝖕𝖙𝖎𝖘𝖙𝖆 𝕸𝖎𝖓𝖔𝖑𝖆]

2021 budget: Marcelo Rebelo de Sousa says PSD has to pass the budget if the left parties fail.

What is the likelihood that the left-wing parties fail to reach an agreement with PS on the budget and PSD actually needs to step in?
It sounds like something that would destabilize the situation a lot, especially given Rui Rio's remarks. Of course well, I am biased towards Costa/the government/the left-wing to a fault, but I wouldn't like to see it happen.*

Also, Marcelo Rebelo de Sousa sounds, ahem, very presidential. Does he have the stellar approval ratings I'm guessing he has?

*indeed I'd say the very healthy polling of the left in Portugal is reason no. 2 why I follow this thread a lot, reason no. 1 being that your posts are pretty engaging.

Well, Costa, for some unknown reason, has made the whole budget situation an almost disaster with his threats of political crisis and so on. The left parties, particularly BE because CDU is distancing themselves more and more from the PS, want several things in the budget, mainly no more state money for the Novo Banco and more spending on the NHS with nurses, doctors and staff. Negotiations between PS and BE seem stalled, and the media is reporting today that Costa will announce several policies, next week, to "seduce" the left parties like more hiring for the NHS, a new social subsidy and policies related with labour laws. According to the media, Costa has already told Marcelo that after next week, it will be very difficult for the BE, and or CDU, to struck down the budget.

Now, Marcelo is worried and probably thinks Costa is being a bit too optimistic and warned the PSD that they may be needed to prevent "the ship to sink". However, the PSD has something up their sleeve: Costa's remarks about a possible help from the PSD. And Rio seems to be banking on the issue that the sole responsible for this whole tension is solely Costa. It's unlikely, but if all of this ends with Costa needing to talk with the PSD, the "oranges" will probably force some of their policies into the budget, like corporate tax cuts, more support for small businesses, etc. Once again, it's very unlikely because in this scenario Costa would be deeply defeated.

Marcelo has sky high approval ratings, averaging around 70%, and in fact his only real true power is to advice and the more popular you are, the stronger and powerfull that advice will be. However, it's still to be seen if that 70% approval rating can be translated into votes, as Marcelo irritates a lot of PSD voters, and it's unclear how much PS voters will vote for him, even though polls say Marcelo is more popular within the PS than in the PSD.

Thanks for the feedback .

I see. I hope Costa's "seductions" do their work. It sounds like he shot himself in the foot with this situation (and given this kind of openings to Rio) but I guess everything can still work out. I'm counting on O Bloco.

I understand what you say about the President's advice, Italy is a parliamentary Republic too (except our President is elected by the Parliament and not by the people), and unsurprisingly he is also our most popular politician. I have read that Marcelo was a leader of PSD, I assume that his former party's voters are irritated by him because they see him as too close to the current government?

[𝕭𝖆𝖕𝖙𝖎𝖘𝖙𝖆 𝕸𝖎𝖓𝖔𝖑𝖆]

I see. I hope Costa's "seductions" do their work. It sounds like he shot himself in the foot with this situation (and given this kind of openings to Rio) but I guess everything can still work out. I'm counting on O Bloco.

I understand what you say about the President's advice, Italy is a parliamentary Republic too (except our President is elected by the Parliament and not by the people), and unsurprisingly he is also our most popular politician. I have read that Marcelo was a leader of PSD, I assume that his former party's voters are irritated by him because they see him as too close to the current government?

It's a situation no one is really very comfortable. BE knows that if they refuse to pass the budget, the PS would find a scapegoat to blame. PS is in a difficult spot too as all of this doesn't portrait an image of leadership and stability, and PSD doesn't want to get into talks with the PS because of internal feuds. Rio is accused, since he's leader, of being to close to Costa and this irritates a large part of the PSD. Even though he would gain points by forcing his agenda into a possible budget deal with Costa, he rather prefers to be on the sidelines and let PS and BE deal with the situation, and portrait himself, and the PSD, as the alternative. Not to mention that any approximation between PS and PSD, only helps CHEGA. This is important because of the very crucial election year of 2021, where Rio's leadership will have the ultimate test. CDU doesn't want more associations with the PS as they are collapsing in polling and see that the only way to recover is to be opposition again.

Yes, Marcelo was leader of the PSD between 1996 and 1999 and his leadership was not very memorable, and ended in a very tense way. A curious note, Rui Rio was his secretary-general for a year, or so, after being forced out of office because of membership fees reforms he wanted to persue. And you're absolutely right. Many PSD voters just can't stand that Marcelo helps, over and over again, Costa and are irritated with him. But, curiously, this is quite normal. Mário Soares and Cavaco Silva, for example, pissed off their respective parties by their initial support for the governments at the time: Soares irritated the PS by supporting the then PSD government led by Cavaco Silva; and Cavaco Silva irritated the PSD by supporting José Sócrates in his first term. But, these two also have a similar thing: on the 2nd presidential term, hell broke between the President and the PM. Who knows what will happen during Marcelo's 2nd term.

I understand. So everybody is circlejerking because every party is in a tough spot with the budget. I guess CHEGA is cheering in the background a lot, although I am sure they have their problems (internal and not) as well.

Your anecdotes about Presidents and Prime Ministers are very interesting. If post 2021 Marcelo starts pissing off António Costa we may as well start calling it a tradition (or a curse). But I don't know. I imagine the 2021 election will be the last electoral test of Marcelo's life, so I suppose he will not give a damn if he irritates party X or party Y in his second term.

[𝕭𝖆𝖕𝖙𝖎𝖘𝖙𝖆 𝕸𝖎𝖓𝖔𝖑𝖆]

I understand. So everybody is circlejerking because every party is in a tough spot with the budget. I guess CHEGA is cheering in the background a lot, although I am sure they have their problems (internal and not) as well.

Your anecdotes about Presidents and Prime Ministers are very interesting. If post 2021 Marcelo starts pissing off António Costa we may as well start calling it a tradition (or a curse). But I don't know. I imagine the 2021 election will be the last electoral test of Marcelo's life, so I suppose he will not give a damn if he irritates party X or party Y in his second term.

Yes, but, on the other side, previous Presidents had also the tendency to help their respective political side on their 2nd term: Mário Soares irritated Cavaco but he started paving the way for the return of the PS to power; Jorge Sampaio 2nd term was marked by 2004 "atomic bomb", when he dissolved Parliament without the consent of the PM, which paved the way to the 2005 landslide PS majority; Cavaco Silva 2nd term started with him trashing Sócrates and paving the way for the PSD 2011 victory. Even Ramalho Eanes, in 1985, "created" a party to contest the 1985 elections, that ultimately hurt deeply the PS. Presidents have much more liberty on their 2nd term, and they feel free to do what they truly want.

About CHEGA internal disputes, they are the result of the huge mix of people from PSD, CDS, PNR and Alliance, the party now has. CHEGA drained the most rightwing/far-right parts of PSD, CDS, PNR and Alliance, you can call them the "nutjobs" that for years were part of, mainly, PSD and CDS, and now fight for political places and defend things that they would never had the chance to do in the PSD or CDS.

Good to know. The President of the Republic in Portugal sounds quite more powerful than his Italian counterpart in fact. I was not expecting this.

CHEGA is... interesting (in a bad way). I wonder if Portuguese media has already started with the* typical obsession for muh iS cHega sTeaLinG worKinG cLasS vOtErs disAppOinTed witH tHe Left that is common everywhere else a "right-wing populist" party exists.

*unwarranted, if as you say CHEGA is pretty much mostly a mix of people previously on the far-right fringe of PSD or CDS.

[𝕭𝖆𝖕𝖙𝖎𝖘𝖙𝖆 𝕸𝖎𝖓𝖔𝖑𝖆]

Holy f**king f**k!

I didn't realize *this* was the level of craziness CHEGA amounted to.

[𝕭𝖆𝖕𝖙𝖎𝖘𝖙𝖆 𝕸𝖎𝖓𝖔𝖑𝖆]

In the US, last week's debate is considered the worst debate ever. The Azores election debates, on the other hand, have musical moments:

https://twitter.com/rubenlmartins/status/1311133414691672064

Based!

And this guy is the leader of which party?

[𝕭𝖆𝖕𝖙𝖎𝖘𝖙𝖆 𝕸𝖎𝖓𝖔𝖑𝖆]

In the US, last week's debate is considered the worst debate ever. The Azores election debates, on the other hand, have musical moments:

https://twitter.com/rubenlmartins/status/1311133414691672064

Based!

And this guy is the leader of which party?

Alliance (A) head-list candidate for São Miguel island.

Uhm, I hoped for a better party. Not a fan of Aliança.

[𝕭𝖆𝖕𝖙𝖎𝖘𝖙𝖆 𝕸𝖎𝖓𝖔𝖑𝖆]

All tests came negative for everyone, including Ursula Von der Leyen.

Moving forward, today is national holiday in Portugal as it the 110th anniversary of the implantation of the Republic. Marcelo Rebelo de Sousa made a speech in Lisbon city hall, where the republic was proclaimed in 1910:

Holiday greetings to all of you in Portugal!

[𝕭𝖆𝖕𝖙𝖎𝖘𝖙𝖆 𝕸𝖎𝖓𝖔𝖑𝖆]

What are parishes in Portugal? Subdivisions of municipalities?

[𝕭𝖆𝖕𝖙𝖎𝖘𝖙𝖆 𝕸𝖎𝖓𝖔𝖑𝖆]

What are parishes in Portugal? Subdivisions of municipalities?

Exactly. 306 out of the 308 municipalities have a certain number of parishes that are the last level of administrative divisions. There are currently 3,092 parishes and before the 2012 reform, there were around 4,260. In local elections, voters cast ballots for mayor, municipal assemblies and parish assemblies. Parishes assemblies articulate with mayors many topics like urban planning, education services, water and sewer services, cultural and entertainment events, among others. In summary, parishes inform municipal councils of the needs they have as they are closer to problems than municipal councils, particularly in rural municipalities.

Interesting. We don't generally have similar things in Italy. What's up with the 2 remaining municipalities? Tiny islands? Or maybe Lisbon and Porto have a different tier system?

[𝕭𝖆𝖕𝖙𝖎𝖘𝖙𝖆 𝕸𝖎𝖓𝖔𝖑𝖆]

What are parishes in Portugal? Subdivisions of municipalities?

Exactly. 306 out of the 308 municipalities have a certain number of parishes that are the last level of administrative divisions. There are currently 3,092 parishes and before the 2012 reform, there were around 4,260. In local elections, voters cast ballots for mayor, municipal assemblies and parish assemblies. Parishes assemblies articulate with mayors many topics like urban planning, education services, water and sewer services, cultural and entertainment events, among others. In summary, parishes inform municipal councils of the needs they have as they are closer to problems than municipal councils, particularly in rural municipalities.

Interesting. We don't generally have similar things in Italy. What's up with the 2 remaining municipalities? Tiny islands? Or maybe Lisbon and Porto have a different tier system?

The 2 municipalies with just 1 parish are Corvo island in the Azores and São João da Madeira in Aveiro district, although São João da Madeira elects a parish assembly and Corvo doesn't as it only has 350, or so, inhabitants. Some parishes in Azores also don't elect a parish assembly adding also a parish in Vila de Rei, Castelo Branco. Parishes with very small populations insted of electing a parish assembly, have a town hall of voters where they discuss topics. Porto and Lisbon have each several parishes, Porto has 7 parishes and Lisbon has 24.

I see. Corvo is so fascinating. Those 350 monarchists!
I have actually never seen a town hall of voters. They must be interesting.

[𝕭𝖆𝖕𝖙𝖎𝖘𝖙𝖆 𝕸𝖎𝖓𝖔𝖑𝖆]

It's more like 86 or 90 monarchists. And I don't think it's because Corvo is monarchist, the PPM MP in the Azores parliament is very popular and helps a lot the island in the regional parliament and his influence is strong there. The PS normally leads the vote in Corvo, but 4 years ago, in the 2016 regionals, it was basically a 3-way race between PS, PPM and PSD: 37% PS, 32% PPM, 26% PSD. We'll see what happens this year, but the PPM candidate will probably be reelected.

A town hall of voters is basically a forum where everybody living in the parish meets in a room, discuss topics and then vote by secret ballot on issues and for a new parish president. A report, from Jornal do Fundão, shows the scenes in a parish town hall in São João do Peso, Vila de Rei.

Well yes I know what a town hall is, and I have seen images of ones in Massachusetts I think, although I had no idea they existed in Portugal. Just I have never seen one in the flesh because they are not used here.

So the PPM representative has no actual ideology besides assuring the pork barrel for Corvo? Which would not be at all surprising to be honest.
[also, funny name; that word means raven in Italian too]

[𝕭𝖆𝖕𝖙𝖎𝖘𝖙𝖆 𝕸𝖎𝖓𝖔𝖑𝖆]

Ferro Rodrigues, Speaker of Parliament, accepted the Constitutional review draft made by CHEGA after the Parliamentary Constitutional Committee ruled that although some proposals are clearly unconstitutional, the draft cannot be barred from being discussed in Parliament. Some of the proposal are very controversial like the physical castration for pedophiles and that the offices of PM and President should only be held by individuals with Portuguese origins. The party also proposes forced labour for prisoners and the removal of the term "Republic" as a form of government in the Constitution. All parties from left to right are against the draft.

I know this is posturing but CHEGA is just insane lmao.

So the PPM representative has no actual ideology besides assuring the pork barrel for Corvo? Which would not be at all surprising to be honest.
[also, funny name; that word means raven in Italian too]

This applies to pretty much every relevant party in the Azores aside from the far-left. The Azorean PS, PSD and CDS are basically identical.

Well I have now seen Mike88's below post about the PS Azorean platform and indeed like 80% of that has nothing to do with being centre-left or socialist or whatever. I can't imagine the PSD platform is comparably different.