Miguel Albuquerque Explained

Order:President of the Regional Government of Madeira
Term Start:20 April 2015
Vicepresident:Pedro Calado (2017–2021)
Predecessor:Alberto João Jardim
Office1:President of the Social Democratic Party of Madeira
Term Start1:10 January 2015
Predecessor1:Alberto João Jardim
Office2:Mayor of Funchal
Term Start2:1 September 1994
Term End2:21 October 2013
Deputy2:Bruno Pereira
Predecessor2:Virgílio Pereira
Successor2:Paulo Cafôfo
Birth Name:Miguel Filipe Machado de Albuquerque
Birth Date:4 May 1961
Birth Place:Funchal, Madeira, Portugal
Nationality:Portuguese
Party:Social Democratic Party (1988–present)
Spouse:
[1]
Children:6
Alma Mater:University of Lisbon
Occupation:LawyerPolitician
Otherparty:Social Democratic Youth
Office3:Deputy Mayor of Funchal
Term Start3:12 December 1993
Term End3:1 September 1994
Office4:Member of the Legislative Assembly of Madeira
Term Start4:9 October 1988
Term End4:12 December 1993
President3:Vergílio Pereira

Miguel Filipe Machado de Albuquerque (born 4 May 1961) is a Portuguese politician of the Social Democratic Party (PSD) and the current President of the Regional Government of Madeira. He took office as leader of the PSD of Madeira on 10 January 2015.[2] He was a former mayor (presidente da Câmara in Portuguese) of Funchal, Madeira.Albuquerque likes gardening and used to grow many types of roses in his Rose Garden and the Quinta do Arco.[3] [4]

He was indicted in January 2024 for alleged active and passive corruption, embezzlement, receiving or offering undue advantages, abuse of power and influence peddling. The mayor of Funchal, Pedro Calado, and two businessmen were arrested in the same case and later released with accusations pending further investigations.[5]

As Mayor of Funchal

As a mayor he signed an agreement to the twinning of the city of Funchal and Gibraltar on 13 May 2009 by the then mayor of Gibraltar Solomon Levy, who had been an Evacuee during the Evacuation of the Gibraltarian civilian population during World War II from Gibraltar to Madeira. Levy then had a meeting with the then President of Madeira Alberto João Jardim.

In April 2012 Miguel opened a road in St Helier, Jersey, which was named Rue de Funchal, after his native city.[6]

Regional Election

In the 29 March 2015 regional elections Albuquerque's centre right party PSD have held on to power after an overall majority with 44.4% of the votes and winning 24 seats in the regional parliament. It was the 11th time in a row the PSD has won an absolute majority in Madeira.

Background into the Election

This election was the first in which PSD's former leader and president of the region, Alberto João Jardim's name did not appear on the ballot, as he stated in 2011, meaning he would step down as the president and leader of PSD-Madeira in 2015. Albuquerque was then elected on 29 December 2014 as president and leader of PSD-Madeira, but he stated that he would not automatically assume the position as president of the Autonomous Region of Madeira without any elections, though parliament was dissolved. In accordance with the law, once parliament is dissolved, the President is obliged go to Lisbon to join a meeting of the Portuguese Council of State and to explain why parliament was dissolved. The president at the time Alberto Joao Jardim was called to attend, which he did and he asked Cavaco Silva, President of Portugal, to call an election in Madeira, which he did so for the 29th of March 2015.

Writings

Books

References

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Notes and References

  1. Web site: MIGUEL DE ALBUQUERQUE FELIZ AO LADO DA NOVA NAMORADA, SOFIA FERNANDES. 7 October 2016.
  2. News: Albuquerque já tomou posse . Freitas Sousa . Jorge . Diário de Notícias (Madeira) . 10 January 2015 . 12 January 2015 .
  3. Web site: ‘Roses Grow on You’, says the Mayor of Funchal. 2013-09-30.
  4. Web site: Há rosas que sobrevivem na Madeira. As do jardim de Miguel Albuquerque. 2016-10-07.
  5. Web site: 2024-01-25 . El presidente de Madeira dice que no dimitirá pese a ser sospechoso formal por corrupción . SWI swissinfo.ch . es.
  6. Web site: St Helier 'twinned' with Madeiran capital Funchal . 2013-10-17.