The Legislative Assembly of the Autonomous Region of the Azores approved the Plan and Budget for 2025, a document that the President of the Government of the Azores, José Manuel Bolieiro, classified as fundamental for guaranteeing political, social and economic stability in the region.
The leader of the Azorean executive was pleased with the outcome of the parliamentary session and stressed the importance of this step for the present and future of the Azores.
“This approval represents a clear commitment to stability, a stability that is crucial if we are to continue working for the benefit of all the islands, leaving none behind,” said José Manuel Bolieiro. The plan was only passed because the ultra-right wing neo-fascist party CHEGA voted for it.
The President of the Government also stated that the Plan and Budget for 2025 resulted from a comprehensive and constructive dialogue with all the regional, social, and political partners, reinforcing the legitimacy of the approved document.
“This is a Plan that was born out of an inclusive dialog, an exercise that demonstrates that this government solution is, in fact, a guarantee of stability for the Azores,” he stressed.


He stressed that the strategy the Government of the Azores outlined has produced positive and tangible results for families, companies, and the Azorean economy.
“We have achieved balanced, future-oriented governance, with consistent public policies that are already showing results. This budget is a continuation of that effort and an opportunity to move forward even more,” he explained.
José Manuel Bolieiro also stressed that the 2025 Plan and Budget is a financial instrument and a commitment to all Azoreans’ well-being and the nine islands’ sustainable progress.
“This is a firm step towards continuing to build a future in which all the islands and all the Azoreans have the same opportunities to grow and prosper,” he concluded.

“The Azores will continue to fly low,” says PS
The President of the Parliamentary Group of the Socialist Party of the Azores said, in Horta, that “with this Budget, the Azores will continue to fly low” due to the lack of effective measures to respond to the region’s structural challenges and the real needs of the Azoreans.
“The Regional Government of the Azores didn’t want to talk to the PS and not even the fact that the President of the Government had access to our proposals beforehand made them want to do so,” said Andreia Cardoso during her explanation of the vote on the Regional Budget for 2025.
The parliamentary leader of the Socialist bench said that the party learned this week that, of the proposals that the PS/Azores presented, “only two deserved consideration and a favorable vote”.
“The PS/Azores vote shouldn’t surprise anyone. From the outset, we were open to dialogue and presented 11 concrete proposals to make these documents viable, but the Regional Government chose to ignore essential solutions for the population, such as excluding children with unemployed parents from access to crèches, something we find unacceptable,” said Andreia Cardoso.
Among the reasons for her vote, she highlighted the rejection of the Socialists’ proposals to halt the growth of public debt, which has already exceeded three billion euros, the increase in social inequalities, and the lack of investment in education and housing. “This is the most unbalanced budget ever, jeopardizing the future of the Azoreans. Continuing down this path puts our autonomy at risk,” concluded the parliamentary leader.

CHEGA’s flags
CHEGA, the extreme right-wing party, voted in favor of the regional budget, with special emphasis on some of the party’s flagship measures. As part of the cooperation and understanding with the regional government, the government included these measures in the budget presented.
Specifically, CHEGA and the government negotiated the Regional Pension Supplement, or the so-called child’s check, a 10% increase for the lowest pensions. CHEGA’s parliamentary leader said the children’s check “has been a demand of CHEGA, because they are the ones who need it most: our elderly”.
José Pacheco recalled that “we made an agreement with the Regional Government, which has complied, and we will comply” by approving the article in the budget that provides for an increase in the child allowance.
“There’s no point in blackmailing or throwing tantrums when we can give priority to the elderly in the Azores. This bothers the Socialists who want to give money to those who don’t want to work. We want to give money to those who have worked all their lives and earn a pittance,” and he made a point of commenting on a proposed amendment that would suspend Local Accommodation licenses and give the state the power to ‘rule over someone’s house, forcing them to rent it out.’
José Pacheco even said that “the state should not interfere. We don’t need to rob people who own their homes. This is a disgrace. When you take something rightfully someone’s, it’s called stealing.” For CHEGA, more housing is essential, “and we’ve made a contribution with a proposal to increase funding for self-building,” but it can’t be up to the state to dictate what a homeowner should do with their house.
In his final explanation of the vote, José Pacheco took aim at the left-wing parties, who once again brought up the issue of priority in nurseries for the children of working parents. “They say that children are better off in nurseries. That’s the mistake. Children are fine with their families, with their parents. What the PS says is that some parents don’t have the capacity to look after their children. What they’re saying is that society has become such that the family has disappeared and we have to put children in “childcare.” This is not about the well-being of children, but about the concept of family. You [socialists] have destroyed the family,” said José Pacheco, who added that ”childcare is a complement for those who work and is not a substitute for parents.”
CHEGA’s parliamentary leader also said that the Azorean homeland “is all the islands, because that’s the way it has to be”, assuming that CHEGA has made a commitment to the Regional Government, just as the Government must make a commitment to the Azoreans and must have the courage to take the right course.
Given the commitment made to the Regional Government, José Pacheco addressed President José Manuel Bolieiro, indicating that there is already dialogue to follow up the approved CHEGA measures, doing “serious and continuous work. I believe there are parties that don’t know what this is. Democracy is when you govern. But democracy cannot exclude the third political force in the Azores,” he concluded.

Left Bloc disappointed
For the Bloco de Esquerda, the approval of the budget shows that there is now an “absolute majority with the boot down” that joins Chega with the PSD, CDS, and PPM, parties that united to reject all 40 proposed amendments presented by the Bloco de Esquerda. After the vote, António Lima criticized the approved budget because it “fails the majority of people,” doesn’t respond to the problems of public services such as health and education, doesn’t increase the incomes of those who work, doesn’t respond to the housing crisis, doesn’t introduce tax justice, and deepens a development based solely on tourism, which will generate even more inequality.
The Bloc MP deplored the statements made by the regional government president, who considered the opposition to be a problem: “Anyone who thinks that the opposition is a problem thinks that democracy is a problem,” said António Lima.
“This vote also showed that the PSD, CDS and PPM coalition now has BFF – Best Friend Forever – José Pacheco and Chega,” said the Bloco MP.

PAN regrets the rejection of proposals
PAN/Açores voted against it because it believes that the documents presented by the Coalition Executive do not respond to the urgent needs of the Azorean population, presenting derisory investments, especially about nature conservation, the protection of blue heritage, and the defense of animal welfare, which could have been improved through the approval of PAN/Açores proposals. “Voting against this budget is a matter of principle and responsibility, given the government’s lack of commitment to promoting sustainable and cohesive development in the region, perpetuating outdated and ineffective policies, to which is added a heavy history of lack of government execution – a conjecture with which the PAN/Açores cannot be complacent and which it does not believe is a solution to the challenges currently facing the region, especially considering the economic and financial forecasts. We have a budget that does not protect us from future fluctuations in the macroeconomic situation but only exposes us and makes us more vulnerable,” said Pedro Neves.
In addition, the Party regrets that the 42 proposed amendments included in the Plan and Budget, which were innovative and necessary solutions for the region’s progress, were not accepted, according to Pedro Neves.

in Correio dos Açores, Natalino Viveiros, director

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