In the Atlantic light of Angra do Heroísmo, where history often arrives in tides rather than headlines, the future of Azorean autonomy was once again summoned to the table—this time under the intellectual stewardship of one of Portugal’s most revered constitutional minds, Jorge Miranda.

At the conference “Repensar a Autonomia”, held under the auspices of the Instituto Histórico da Ilha Terceira, Miranda—widely regarded as one of the architects of the 1976 Constitution—offered a deeply reflective and precise dissection of Portugal’s regional model. Though unable to attend in person, his written intervention, delivered by literature professor Carlos Severino, carried the weight of both scholarship and lived constitutional history.

What emerged was not merely a legal lecture, but a philosophical reaffirmation: Azorean autonomy is not an administrative convenience, nor a peripheral concession. It is, rather, the culmination of centuries of insular aspiration—shaped by geography, forged in distance, and legitimized through democratic transformation.

Miranda framed contemporary Portugal as a “regional unitary state,” a nuanced category that resists easy comparison with the federalist models of the nineteenth century. In this configuration, the Azores and Madeira are not mere extensions of Lisbon’s administrative will; they are endowed with genuine legislative and governmental authority. This distinction, he emphasized, is essential. Administrative decentralization—common across much of Europe—differs profoundly from political decentralization, where sovereignty itself is partially shared between the central state and regional institutions.

Portugal’s asymmetry, however, remains one of its defining features. While the islands have exercised political autonomy since the watershed moment of the Carnation Revolution and the subsequent 1976 Constitution, the mainland continues to operate under a more limited framework of administrative decentralization. Efforts at regionalization on the continent have stalled, most notably following the failed referendum of 1998—a moment that revealed both political hesitation and structural inertia.

Yet, as Miranda carefully delineated, not all forms of autonomy are created equal. He distinguished the Portuguese model from other global arrangements: the feudal ties of the Channel Islands, the colonial remnants of territories like the Falklands, or the exceptional international governance of postwar Berlin. The Azorean case, he argued, is unique—a product of democratic decentralization within a unified state, tailored to the socio-economic realities and geographic isolation of island life.

There is, too, a legal architecture underpinning this autonomy—one that blends flexibility with protection. The Political-Administrative Statutes of the autonomous regions are not constitutional laws per se, but “ordinary laws of reinforced value.” This seemingly technical classification carries profound implications: while Parliament retains the authority to amend them, it cannot do so unilaterally. The regions themselves hold the power of initiative, ensuring that any revision must pass through the scrutiny of their own legislative assemblies. In this way, autonomy is not merely granted—it is institutionally safeguarded.

Perhaps most strikingly, Miranda underscored that autonomy in Portugal is now constitutionally entrenched at the highest level. Under Article 288 of the Constitution, the political and administrative autonomy of the Azores and Madeira is protected from abolition or diminishment in any future constitutional revision. It is, in effect, “shielded”—a structural pillar of the Portuguese state rather than a negotiable feature of governance.

This constitutional permanence transforms autonomy into something greater than policy. It becomes a principle—one that simultaneously reinforces national unity while honoring regional specificity. As Miranda suggested, the strength of Portugal lies not in erasing difference, but in institutionalizing it within a shared democratic framework.

The conference also brought together voices such as Borges de Carvalho and constitutional law specialist Arnaldo Ourique, with moderation by journalist Luciano Barcelos—each contributing to a broader conversation that, in many ways, transcended law and entered the realm of identity.

In the end, what unfolded in Angra was more than an academic exercise. It was a quiet reaffirmation of a political philosophy born of revolution and refined through decades of democratic practice. In a world increasingly drawn toward centralization or fragmentation, the Azorean model—rooted in balance, history, and negotiated sovereignty—stands as a compelling alternative.

Autonomy, as Miranda reminded his audience, is not a fracture in the state. It is one of the ways a nation learns to remain whole.

Translated and adapted from a story n Diário Insular, José Loureço-director.

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