Early regional legislative elections will be held in the Azores on February 4th.
The President of the Republic set the date yesterday after hearing the Council of State.
The respective decree was signed immediately after the meeting of the Council of State and immediately endorsed by the Prime Minister – according to a note from the Presidency of the Republic.
The councilors unanimously approved the dissolution of the Regional Legislative Assembly of the Azores.
The Government of the Republic did not express an opinion, as this is an autonomous matter, the Presidency notes.
The President of the Republic had heard the parties represented in the Azorean parliament on November 30, following the November 23 rejection of the proposed Plan and Budget for 2024.
This was the last Plan and Budget proposal before the end of the legislature.
The president of the regional government, José Manuel Bolieiro, even announced his intention to present a second version of the document in accordance with the islands’ budget law. However, he faced a new scenario of almost certain rejection, which made him back down.
The proposal was defeated, with the PS, IL, and BE voting against, the PAN and Chega abstaining, and the PSD, CDS-PP, PPM, and the independent deputy (ex-Chega) voting in favor.
The Regional Government will remain in administration until a new executive takes office. Parliament will now function only through the Standing Committee.

From a Diário Insular news story, José Lourenço-director

Translated to English as a community outreach program from the Portuguese Beyond Borders Institute (PBBI) and the Modern and Classical Languages and Cultures Department (MCLL) as part of Bruma Publication and ADMA (Azores-Diaspora Media Alliance)  at California State University, Fresno