The Socialist Party (PS) again won the most votes with 39 percent, but lost their majority against all predictions. The party won 25 seats, 5 seats fewer than in 2016 and 4 seats short of a majority.[4] The Socialists' main opponent, the Social Democratic Party (PSD), made significant gains by winning almost 34 percent of the votes and 21 seats, two more than in 2016.
The CDS – People's Party (CDS-PP) was able to hold on to its status as the third biggest party in the region but lost almost 2 percent of the votes and one member on the regional parliament. Overall, CDS–PP got 5.5 percent of the votes and 3 seats. The Left Bloc (BE) was also able to hold on to their 2016 score, holding their 2 seats and winning a similar share of vote to that received in 2016, with 3.8 percent. The Unitary Democratic Coalition (CDU) was wiped out from the regional parliament by losing their sole member, elected in 2016, and polling just 1.7 percent of the votes.[5]
The big surprise in the elections was the arrival of new parties, from left to right, in the Azores regional parliament. CHEGA (CH) polled at 5 percent of the votes and was able to elect 2 members to the regional parliament.[6]People-Animals-Nature (PAN) also elected one MP as did the Liberal Initiative (IL). The new composition of the regional assembly gave the rightwing parties a majority over the left, with 29 against 28.[7]
On election night, PSD leader José Manuel Bolieiro said the night was a historic one for democracy and the autonomous region.[8] PS leader Vasco Cordeiro said the PS won the elections and should have a chance to form a government but acknowledged that the picture was challenging.[9] In the days after the election, both PS and PSD started talks with parties to see if deals were possible.[10]
On 2 November, PSD, CDS–PP and PPM announced they had reached an agreement to form a government.[11] Shortly afterwards, Carlos Furtardo, the leader of CHEGA also announced the party would support a PSD/CDS–PP/PPM government in the regional parliament.[12] Despite this announcement, there were divisions in CHEGA as the party's national leader, André Ventura, said no deal had been made with the Social Democrats and that the order was to not support the PSD led coalition.[13] However, a few days later, on 6 November, CHEGA and PSD reached an agreement after CHEGA dropped several of their demands.[14]
On the following day, 7 November, IL announced it had reached an agreement with PSD for parliamentary support. Thus the government would be formed by a coalition of PSD, CDS-PP and PPM (26 MPs) with parliamentary support of CHEGA (2) and IL (1), totalizing a majority of 29 out of 57 seats in the parliament.[15]
The turnout in these elections increased compared to the previous one, with 45.4 percent of voters casting a ballot, compared with the record-low 40.9 percent in the 2016 elections.
Background
Leadership changes and challenges
Social Democratic Party
After the defeat of the PSD in the 2016 regional election, then party leader Duarte Freitas remained in office until resigning in July 2018, for personal reasons.[18] He called a leadership ballot for 29 September 2018. Two candidates were on the ballot: Incumbent mayor of Ribeira GrandeAlexandre Gaudêncio, and Pedro Nascimento Cabral. Gaudêncio was elected with 61 percent of the votes.[19]
One year later, in October 2019, Gaudêncio announced his resignation, in the aftermath of a Judiciary Police investigation into suspected irregularities in public contracts and urban development while as mayor of Ribeira Grande.[20] A leadership ballot was called for 14 December 2019 and only one candidate presented himself: José Manuel Bolieiro, by then the incumbent mayor of Ponta Delgada. Boleiro was elected with almost 99 percent of the votes.[21]
The 57 members of the Azores regional parliament are elected through a proportional system in which the 9 islands elect a number of MPs proportional to the number of registered voters. MPs are allocated by using the D'Hondt method. 5 members are also elected for a Compensation constituency. Current distribution of MPs by constituency:
14 lists were on the ballot for the 2020 Azorean regional election, 13 parties and one coalition only in Corvo. The parties that contested the election and their lead candidates, were: (alphabetically ordered)[23]
With the loss of its majority, the PS tried to reach a deal with other parties but failed, as the PSD reached a deal for a minority coalition government with CDS – People's Party (CDS-PP) and the People's Monarchist Party (PPM), plus ensured the outside support of Chega and the Liberal Initiative.[11][15] On 11 December 2020, the regional parliament approved José Manuel Boleiro's minority government, the first non-socialist Azorean regional government in 24 years:
In March 2023, the Liberal Initiative removed its support from the PSD/CDS/PPM minority coalition, citing deep disagreements on policy and tensions between the minor parties within the coalition.[58] On the budget vote for 2024, in late November 2023, the coalition lost the support of their outside supporters, Liberal Initiative and Chega, and the budget fell.[59] Bolieiro tried to present a second budget, but after meeting with PresidentMarcelo Rebelo de Sousa, he dropped the idea and asked for early elections.[60] Shortly after, early elections were called for 4 February 2024.[61]
Notes
^ ab The Portuguese Communist Party (PCP) and the Ecologist Party "The Greens" (PEV) contested the 2016 election in a coalition called Unitary Democratic Coalition and won a combined 2.6% of the vote and elected one MP to parliament.
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