"Every meter that the CDU advances is a step back for injustice, a step back for poverty, a step back for corruption, it is a step back in this life, in this policy that tightens our corns every day, that pushes the majority down and puts concentrated wealth in the hands of a few", he said.

Paulo Raimundo spoke at a dinner/rally in support of the candidacy of the Democratic Unitary Coalition (CDU), which brings together the PCP and the PEV, in Funchal, which was attended by around 200 members and supporters, according to data from the organization.

"Here, the CDU is serious, it is honest and does not betray, because those who have the people and the workers as their only commitment, then cannot betray, because the people and the workers would never forgive the CDU for betraying them even once", he declared.

The communist leader expressed confidence in strengthening the vote for the CDU, whose candidacy is headed by Edgar Silva, regional coordinator of the coalition and the PCP.

"I have no doubt that there are many people who voted for other political forces in previous elections and that this time they will vote for the CDU", he said, and then reinforced: "There are hundreds and thousands of people there waiting for us to make contact so that these people decide once and for all."

Paulo Raimundo emphasized that by voting for the CDU, voters will be "deciding for their lives, for their housing, for their path, for their salary".

"More CDU deputies, more votes, more strength to the lives of the people of Madeira and Porto Santo. This is our commitment, this is our path, this is what makes us walk here: improving lives, solving problems, being the transforming force", he guaranteed.

According to the PCP's secretary-general, there are people available to follow the candidacy headed by Edgar Silva until election day, reinforcing its strength "contact by contact, conversation by conversation, man to man, woman to woman, corner to corner, in the high areas and in any corner of Madeira, in companies, in workplaces".

The Madeira legislative elections on May 26 will take place with 14 candidacies competing for the 47 seats in the regional parliament, in a single electoral constituency: ADN, BE, PS, Livre, IL, RIR, CDU (PCP/PEV), Chega, CDS-PP, MPT, PSD, PAN, PTP and JPP.

The early elections take place eight months after the most recent regional legislative elections, after the President of the Republic dissolved the Madeiran parliament, following the political crisis triggered in January, when the leader of the Regional Government (PSD/CDS-PP), Miguel Albuquerque, was constituted an accused in a process in which suspicions of corruption are being investigated.

In September 2023, the PSD/CDS coalition won without an absolute majority and elected 23 deputies. The PS won 11, the JPP five, Chega four, while the CDU, IL, PAN (which signed an agreement on parliamentary incidence with the social democrats) and the BE obtained one mandate each.

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