2020 Azorean regional election

The 2020 Azorean regional election was held on 25 October 2020,Eleições legislativas dos Açores vão ser a 25 de Outubro Público, 22 August 2020. Retrieved 22 August 2020. to determine the composition of the Legislative Assembly of the Autonomous Region of the Azores. All 57 members of the assembly were up for election.

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.Resultados finais: PS perde maioria absoluta nos Açores TVI24, 25 October 2020. Retrieved 31 October 2020. 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.CDU reconhece resultado "particularmente negativo" nos Açores Jornal de Notícias, 26 October 2020. Retrieved 31 October 2020.

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.Eleições nos Açores: Chega elege dois deputados Público, 25 October 2020. Retrieved 31 October 2020. 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.Geringonça à direita? Fim da maioria absoluta do PS nos Açores deixa tudo em aberto RTP, 26 October 2020. Retrieved 31 October 2020.

On election night, PSD leader José Manuel Bolieiro said the night was a historic one for democracy and the autonomous region.José Manuel Bolieiro fala em noite histórica RTP Açores, 25 October 2020. Retrieved 31 October 2020. 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.Vasco Cordeiro diz que o novo quadro parlamentar é desafiante RTP Açores, 25 October 2020. Retrieved 31 October 2020. In the days after the election, both PS and PSD started talks with parties to see if deals were possible.CDS-PP disputado entre PS e PSD para continuidade ou ‘geringonça’ à direita nos Açores Jornal Económico, 31 October 2020. Retrieved 31 October 2020.

On 2 November, PSD, CDS–PP and PPM announced they had reached an agreement to form a government.PSD, CDS e PPM alcançam proposta de governação nos Açores RTP, 2 November 2020. Retrieved 31 2 November 2020. Shortly afterwards, Carlos Furtardo, the leader of Chega also announced the party would support a PSD/CDS–PP/PPM government in the regional parliament.Açores. Chega promete apoio ao Governo da direita RTP, 2 November 2020. Retrieved 2 November 2020. 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.Açores. Rio não cede e Ventura ordena chumbo da 'geringonça' de direita Expresso, 4 November 2020. Retrieved 7 November 2020. However, a few days later, on 6 November, both parties reached an agreement after Chega dropped several of their demands.Chega e PSD entendem-se nos Açores: vão cortar apoios sociais e propor redução de deputados regionais e nacionais Público, 6 November 2020. Retrieved 7 November 2020.

On the following day, 7 November, IL announced it had also 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.

On that same day, the Representative of the Republic in the Azores, Pedro Catarino, after hearing all parties represented in the regional parliament, appointed José Manuel Bolieiro as President of the Regional Government and asked him to form a government.José Manuel Bolieiro, líder do PSD-A, indigitado como presidente do Governo dos Açores Público, 7 November 2020. Retrieved 7 November 2020. On 24 November, José Manuel Bolieiro and his cabinet were sworn in to office.José Manuel Bolieiro cita Sá Carneiro e reconhece "exigente missão" nos Açores TSF, 24 November 2020. Retrieved 24 November 2020.

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. He called a leadership ballot for 29 September 2018. Two candidates were on the ballot: Incumbent mayor of Ribeira Grande Alexandre Gaudêncio, and Pedro Nascimento Cabral. Gaudêncio was elected with 61 percent of the votes.

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. 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.

Electoral system 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:

Constituency Total MPs Registeredvoters Corvo 2 337 Faial 4 13,019 Flores 3 3,119 Graciosa 3 3,936 Pico 4 13,613 Santa Maria 3 5,393 São Jorge 3 8,710 São Miguel 20 127,947 Terceira 10 52,498 Compensation 5 Total 57 228,572

Parties The table below lists parties represented in the Legislative Assembly of the Azores in the term between 2016 and 2020.

Name Ideology Leader 2016 result % Seats PS Socialist Party Social democracy Vasco Cordeiro 46.4% PPD/PSD Social Democratic Party Liberal conservatism José Manuel Bolieiro 30.9% CDS–PP CDS – People's Party Christian Democracy Artur Lima 7.2% B.E. Left Bloc Democratic socialism António Lima 3.7% PCP Portuguese Communist Party Communism João Corvelo 2.6% PPM People's Monarchist Party Monarchism Paulo Estêvâo 0.9%

Parties running in the election 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)ALRAA 2020 – Sorteio das candidaturas, Comissão Nacional de Eleições, 16 September 2020. Retrieved 16 September 2020.

Alliance (A), Paulo SilvaAçores: Aliança quer eleger pelo menos dois deputados, Notícias ao Minuto, 10 September 2020. Retrieved 16 September 2020. Left Bloc (BE), António Lima Unitary Democratic Coalition (CDU), João Corvelo CDS – People's Party (CDS-PP), Artur Lima Chega (CH), Carlos FurtadoEsquerda tem medo do Chega porque este chega ao seu eleitorado – Ventura”, Visão, 13 June 2020. Retrieved 16 September 2020. Liberal Initiative (IL), Nuno BarataEleições nos Açores: Iniciativa Liberal quer eleger dois deputados, Sapo24, 14 September 2020. Retrieved 16 September 2020. LIVRE (L), José Manuel AzevedoAçores: Professor José Azevedo lidera lista de candidatos do Livre, Notícias ao Minuto, 22 July 2020. Retrieved 16 September 2020. Earth Party (MPT), Pedro Soares PimentaTreze forças políticas concorrem por São Miguel, maior círculo eleitoral , Jornal Acores9, 15 September 2020. Retrieved 16 September 2020. People-Animals-Nature (PAN), Pedro NevesAçores. PAN apresenta candidaturas em sete círculos eleitorais , RTP, 10 September 2020. Retrieved 16 September 2020. Portuguese Workers' Communist Party (PCTP/MRPP), José Afonso LouresPCTP-MRPP alerta para aumento da pobreza na região, Acoriano Oriental, 15 September 2020. Retrieved 16 September 2020. Social Democratic Party (PSD), José Manuel Bolieiro People's Monarchist Party (PPM), Paulo Estêvão Socialist Party (PS), Vasco Cordeiro People's Monarchist Party/CDS – People's Party More Corvo (PPM/CDS-PP), Paulo EstêvãoCinco forças políticas disputam dois lugares de deputado pelo Corvo, Acoriano Oriental, 15 September 2020. Retrieved 16 September 2020.

Campaign period Party slogans Party or alliance Original slogan English translation Refs PS « Prá frente é que é o caminho »« Os Açores precisam do seu voto » "Forward is the way""The Azores needs your vote" PSD « Confiança » "Trust" CDS–PP « A escolha certa na defesa dos seus direitos » "The right choice in defending your rights" BE « Novas Políticas, Melhor Futuro » "New Policies, Better Future" CDU « Projecto de futuro para os Açores » "Project of future for the Azores" PAN « Dar asas a uma nova visão » "Give wings to a new vision" IL « Vamos liberalizar os Açores » "Lets liberalize the Azores" CH « O CHEGA é a tua voz. » "CHEGA is your voice."

Candidates' debates 2020 Azorean regional election debates Date Organisers Moderator(s) PS PSD CDS–PP BE CDU PPM Refs 2 Oct RTP Açores Herberto GomesPPPPPP 5 Oct RTP Açores João SimasPNNNPN 6 Oct RTP Açores João SimasNNNPPP 7 Oct RTP Açores João SimasNPNNNP 8 Oct RTP Açores João SimasNNPNNP 9 Oct RTP Açores João SimasPNNPNN 10 Oct RTP Açores João SimasNPNNPN 11 Oct RTP Açores João SimasNNPNPN 12 Oct RTP Açores João SimasNNNPNP 13 Oct RTP Açores João SimasPPNNNN 14 Oct RTP Açores João SimasNNPPNN 15 Oct RTP Açores João SimasNNNNPP 16 Oct RTP Açores João SimasNPNPNN 17 Oct RTP Açores João SimasPNNNPN 18 Oct RTP Açores João SimasNPPNNN 19 Oct RTP Açores João SimasPNNNNP

Opinion polls

2020 Azorean regional election

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