2020 Azorean regional election

The 2020 Azorean regional election was held on 25 October 2020,[3] 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.

2020 Azorean regional election

25 October 2020
57 seats to the Legislative Assembly of the Azores[1] 29 seats needed for a majority
Opinion polls
Leader Vasco Cordeiro José Manuel Bolieiro Artur Lima Party PS PSD CDS–PP Leader since 2012 2019 2008 Leader's seat São Miguel[2] São Miguel Terceira[2] Last election 30 seats, 46.4% 19 seats, 30.9% 4 seats, 7.2% Seats before 30 19 4 Seats won 25 21 3 Seat change 5 2 1 Popular vote 40,703 35,094 5,739 Percentage 39.1% 33.7% 5.5% Swing 7.3 pp 2.8 pp 1.6 pp   Leader Carlos Furtado António Lima Paulo Estêvão Party CHEGA BE PPM Leader since 2018 2018 2008 Leader's seat São Miguel São Miguel[2] Corvo[2] Last election New 2 seats, 3.7% 1 seat, 0.93% Seats before 0 2 1 Seats won 2 2 2 Seat change 2 0 1 Popular vote 5,262 3,962 2,530 Percentage 5.1% 3.8% 2.4% Swing New 0.2 pp 1.5 pp   Leader Nuno Barata José Luís Parreira Pedro Neves Party IL PAN Leader since 2019 2019 Leader's seat São Miguel Terceira São Miguel Last election New 0 seat, 1.4% Seats before 0 0 Seats won 1 1 Seat change 1 1 Popular vote 2,012 2,005 Percentage 1.9% 1.9% Swing New 0.5 pp
President before election Vasco Cordeiro PS President-designate José Manuel Bolieiro PSD

The Socialist Party (PS) again won the most votes with 39%, but lost their majority against all predictions. The party won 25 seats, 5 seats fewer than 2016 and 4 seats short of a majority.[4] The Socialists' main opponent, the Social Democratic Party (PSD), made significant gains by winning almost 34% of the votes and 21 seats, two more than in 2016. The CDS – People's Party was able to hold on to its status as the third biggest party in the region but lost almost 2% of the votes and one member on the regional parliament. Overall, CDS–PP got 5.5% 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%. 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% of the votes.[5]

The big surprise in the elections was the arrival of new parties, from left to right, in the Azores regional parliament. CHEGA (CH) polled 5% of the votes and was able to elect 2 members to the regional parliament.[6] 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.[7] On election night, PSD leader José Manuel Bolieiro said the night was a historic one for democracy and the autonomous region.[8] PS leader Vasco Cordeiro said the PS won the elections and should have a chance to form a government but acknowledged that the picture is challenging.[9] In the days after the election, both PS and PSD started talks with parties to see if a deal is possible.[10]

On November 2, PSD, CDS–PP and PPM announced they had reached an agreement to form a government.[11] Shortly afterwards, Carlos Furtardo, the leader of CHEGA also announced the party would support a PSD/CDS–PP/PPM government in the regional Parliament.[12] 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.[13] However, a few days later, on November 6, CHEGA and PSD reached an agreement after CHEGA dropped several of their demands.[14] On the next day, November 7, 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 and asked him to form a government.[15] On 24 November, José Manuel Bolieiro and his cabinet were sworn in to office.[16]

The turnout in these elections increased compared to the previous one, with 45.4% of voters casting a ballot, compared with the record-low 40.9% in the 2016 elections.

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	Registered voters[17]
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	N/A
Total	57	228,572

Parties

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

Name			Ideology	Leader	2016 result
					Votes (%)	Seats
	PS	Socialist Party Partido Socialista	Social democracy	Vasco Cordeiro	46.4%	30 / 57
	PSD	Social Democratic Party Partido Social-Democrata	Liberal conservatism	José Manuel Bolieiro	30.9%	19 / 57
	CDS-PP	CDS – People's Party Centro Democrático Social – Partido Popular	Christian Democracy	Artur Lima	7.2%	4 / 57
	B.E.	Left Bloc Bloco de Esquerda	Democratic socialism	António Lima	3.7%	2 / 57
	PCP	Portuguese Communist Party Partido Comunista Português	Communism	João Corvelo	2.6% [lower-alpha 1]	1 / 57
	PPM	People's Monarchist Party Partido Popular Monárquico	Monarchism	Paulo Estêvâo	0.9%	1 / 57

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)[18]

• Alliance (A), Paulo Silva[19]
• Left Bloc (BE), António Lima
• Unitary Democratic Coalition (CDU), João Corvelo
• CDS – People's Party (CDS-PP), Artur Lima
• CHEGA (CH), Carlos Furtado[20]
• Liberal Initiative (IL), Nuno Barata[21]
• LIVRE (L), José Manuel Azevedo[22]
• Earth Party (MPT), Pedro Soares Pimenta[23]
• People–Animals–Nature (PAN), Pedro Neves[24]
• Portuguese Workers' Communist Party (PCTP/MRPP), José Afonso Loures[25]
• 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)[lower-alpha 2], Paulo Estêvão[26]

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"	[27]
	PSD	« Confiança »	"Trust"	[28]
	CDS–PP	« A escolha certa na defesa dos seus direitos »	"The right choice in defending your rights"	[29]
	BE	« Novas Políticas, Melhor Futuro »	"New Policies, Better Future"	[30]
	CDU	« Projecto de futuro para os Açores »	"Project of future for the Azores"	[31]
	PAN	« Dar asas a uma nova visão »	"Give wings to a new vision"	[32]
	IL	« Vamos liberalizar os Açores »	"Lets liberalize the Azores"	[33]
	CH	« O CHEGA é a tua voz. »	"CHEGA is your voice."	[34]

Candidates' debates

2020 Azorean regional election debates
Date	Organisers	Moderator(s)	P  Present    A  Absent invitee  N  Non-invitee
			PS Cordeiro	PSD Bolieiro	CDS–PP Lima	BE A. Lima	CDU Corvelo	PPM Estêvão	Refs
2 Oct	RTP Açores	Herberto Gomes	P	P	P	P	P	P	[35][36]
5 Oct	RTP Açores	João Simas	P	N	N	N	P	N	[35][37]
6 Oct	RTP Açores	João Simas	N	N	N	P	P	P	[35][38]
7 Oct	RTP Açores	João Simas	N	P	N	N	N	P	[35][39]
8 Oct	RTP Açores	João Simas	N	N	P	N	N	P	[35][40]
9 Oct	RTP Açores	João Simas	P	N	N	P	N	N	[35][41]
10 Oct	RTP Açores	João Simas	N	P	N	N	P	N	[35][42]
11 Oct	RTP Açores	João Simas	N	N	P	N	P	N	[35][43]
12 Oct	RTP Açores	João Simas	N	N	N	P	N	P	[35][44]
13 Oct	RTP Açores	João Simas	P	P	N	N	N	N	[35][45]
14 Oct	RTP Açores	João Simas	N	N	P	P	N	N	[35][46]
15 Oct	RTP Açores	João Simas	N	N	N	N	P	P	[35][47]
16 Oct	RTP Açores	João Simas	N	P	N	P	N	N	[35][48]
17 Oct	RTP Açores	João Simas	P	N	N	N	P	N	[35][49]
18 Oct	RTP Açores	João Simas	N	P	P	N	N	N	[35][50]
19 Oct	RTP Açores	João Simas	P	N	N	N	N	P	[35]

Opinion polls

  Exit poll

Polling firm/Link	Fieldwork date	Sample size	TO							PPM			O	Lead
2020 Regional Elections	25 Oct 2020	N/A	45.4	39.1 25	33.7 21	5.5 3	3.8 2	1.7 0	1.9 1	2.4 2	5.1 2	1.9 1	4.9 0	5.4
UCP–CESOP	25 Oct 2020	?	?	37–41 26/30	32–36 19/22	3–6 1/3	2–5 1/2	1–2 0/2	2–3 1	1–2 1	3–6 1/3	1–2 0/1	N/A	5
UCP–CESOP	17–18 Oct 2020	3,159	?	45 28/32	32 18/22	3 1/3	3 0/2	2 0/1	2 0/1	1 1	3 0/2	2 0/1	7 0	13
2019 Legislative Election	6 Oct 2019	N/A	36.5	40.1	30.2	4.8	8.0	2.5	2.7	0.5	0.9	0.7	9.6	9.9
2019 EP Elections	26 May 2019	N/A	18.7	40.8	20.7	6.5	7.5	2.5	3.7	1.2	N/A	0.5	16.6	20.1
2017 Local Elections	1 Oct 2017	N/A	53.5	45.0	41.7	3.2	1.5	1.9	0.6	N/A	N/A	N/A	6.1	3.3
2016 Regional Elections	16 Oct 2016	N/A	40.8	46.4 30	30.9 19	7.2 4	3.7 2	2.6 1	1.4 0	0.9 1	N/A	N/A	6.9 0	15.5

Results

National summary

 Summary of the 25 October 2020 Legislative Assembly of Azores elections results

Parties		Votes	%	±pp swing	MPs					MPs %/ votes %
					2016	2020	±	%	±
	Socialist	40,703	39.14	7.3	30	25	5	43.86	8.7	1.12
	Social Democratic	35,094	33.74	2.8	19	21	2	36.84	3.5	1.09
	People's	5,739	5.52	1.7	4	3	1	5.26	1.7	0.95
	CHEGA	5,262	5.06	N/A	N/A	2	N/A	3.51	N/A	0.69
	Left Bloc	3,962	3.81	0.1	2	2	0	3.51	0.0	0.92
	People's Monarchist	2,415	2.32	1.4	0	2	1	1.75	1.7	0.75
	Liberal Initiative	2,012	1.93	N/A	N/A	1	N/A	1.75	N/A	0.91
	People–Animals–Nature	2,005	1.93	0.4	0	1	1	1.75	1.7	0.91
	Democratic Unity Coalition[lower-alpha 1]	1,741	1.67	0.9	1	0	1	0.00	1.7	0.0
	Alliance	422	0.41	N/A	N/A	0	N/A	0.00	N/A	0.0
	LIVRE	362	0.35	0.1	0	0	0	0.00	0.0	0.0
	Earth	157	0.15	0.2	0	0	0	0.00	0.0	0.0
	Portuguese Workers' Communist	144	0.14	0.2	0	0	0	0.00	0.0	0.0
	More Corvo (PPM/CDS–PP)[lower-alpha 2]	115	0.11	0.0	1	1	0	1.75	0.0	15.90
Total valid		100,133	96.28	1.6	57	57	0	100.00	0.0	—
Blank ballots		2,618	2.52	0.4
Invalid ballots		1,247	1.20	1.2
Total		103,998	100.00
Registered voters/turnout		229,002	45.41	4.6
Source: Comissão Nacional de Eleições

Vote share PS   39.14% PSD   33.74% CDS-PP   5.52% CH   5.06% BE   3.81% PPM   2.32% IL   1.93% PAN   1.93% CDU   1.67% MC   0.11% Others   1.05% Blank/Invalid   3.72%

Parliamentary seats PS   43.86% PSD   36.84% CDS-PP   5.26% CH   3.51% BE   3.51% PPM   1.75% IL   1.75% PAN   1.75% MC   1.75%

Distribution by constituency

 Results of the 2020 election of the Legislative Assembly of Azores
by constituency

Constituency	%	S	%	S	%	S	%	S	%	S	%	S	%	S	%	S	%	S	Total S
	PS		PSD		CDS-PP		CH		BE		PPM		IL		PAN		PPM/CDS-PP
Corvo	35.2	1	22.3	-					0.0	-							40.1	1	2
Faial	30.3	2	41.0	2	6.0	-	3.0	-	3.6	-	2.6	-			1.5	-			4
Flores	30.0	1	28.3	1	11.7	-			3.9	-	18.2	1			1.4	-			3
Graciosa	47.4	2	41.6	1	1.3	-	1.5	-	1.1	-	3.5	-							3
Pico	44.8	2	36.5	2	4.5	-	3.6	-	1.9	-	0.6	-			1.5	-			4
Santa Maria	44.0	2	23.3	1	1.2	-	1.4	-	11.6	-	12.6	-							3
São Jorge	32.0	1	18.4	1	31.6	1	9.1	-	1.9	-	1.5	-	2.6	-					3
São Miguel	39.0	9	36.6	9	1.6	-	5.6	1	4.3	1	2.2	-	2.5	-	2.6	-			20
Terceira	41.3	5	28.5	4	9.5	1	5.4	-	3.2	-	0.8	-	2.9	-	1.5	-			10
Compensation		-		-		1		1		1		-		1		1			5
Total	39.1	25	33.7	21	5.5	3	5.1	2	3.8	2	2.3	1	1.9	1	1.9	1	0.1	1	57
Source: Azores Government

Maps

• 
  Most voted party by island.
• 
  Most voted party by municipality in the Azores.

Notes

1. The Portuguese Communist Party (PCP) and the Ecologist Party "The Greens" (PEV) contested the 2016 election in a coalition called Unitary Democratic Coalition and won a combined 2.6% of the vote and elected one MP to parliament.
2. List only running in Corvo Island.

References

1. Alteração à Lei Eleitoral da ALRA dos Açores - CNE (in Portuguese), Lisbon, Portugal: Comissão Nacional dos Eleições, archived from the original on 2009-02-19
2. Assembleia Legislativa dos Açores - Deputados e Grupos Parlamentares
3. Eleições legislativas dos Açores vão ser a 25 de Outubro Público, 22 August 2020. Retrieved 22 August 2020.
4. Resultados finais: PS perde maioria absoluta nos Açores TVI24, 25 October 2020. Retrieved 31 October 2020.
5. CDU reconhece resultado "particularmente negativo" nos Açores Jornal de Notícias, 26 October 2020. Retrieved 31 October 2020.
6. Eleições nos Açores: Chega elege dois deputados Público, 25 October 2020. Retrieved 31 October 2020.
7. Geringonça à direita? Fim da maioria absoluta do PS nos Açores deixa tudo em aberto RTP, 26 October 2020. Retrieved 31 October 2020.
8. José Manuel Bolieiro fala em noite histórica RTP Açores, 25 October 2020. Retrieved 31 October 2020.
9. Vasco Cordeiro diz que o novo quadro parlamentar é desafiante RTP Açores, 25 October 2020. Retrieved 31 October 2020.
10. CDS-PP disputado entre PS e PSD para continuidade ou ‘geringonça’ à direita nos Açores Jornal Económico, 31 October 2020. Retrieved 31 October 2020.
11. PSD, CDS e PPM alcançam proposta de governação nos Açores RTP, 2 November 2020. Retrieved 31 2 November 2020.
12. Açores. Chega promete apoio ao Governo da direita RTP, 2 November 2020. Retrieved 2 November 2020.
13. Açores. Rio não cede e Ventura ordena chumbo da 'geringonça' de direita Expresso, 4 November 2020. Retrieved 7 November 2020.
14. 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.
15. José Manuel Bolieiro, líder do PSD-A, indigitado como presidente do Governo dos Açores Público, 7 November 2020. Retrieved 7 November 2020.
16. José Manuel Bolieiro cita Sá Carneiro e reconhece "exigente missão" nos Açores TSF, 24 November 2020. Retrieved 24 November 2020.
17. Mapa de Deputados (PDF), Lisbon, Portugal: Diário da Républica, 28 August 2020
18. ALRAA 2020 – Sorteio das candidaturas, Comissão Nacional de Eleições, 16 September 2020. Retrieved 16 September 2020.
19. Açores: Aliança quer eleger pelo menos dois deputados, Notícias ao Minuto, 10 September 2020. Retrieved 16 September 2020.
20. Esquerda tem medo do Chega porque este chega ao seu eleitorado – Ventura”, Visão, 13 June 2020. Retrieved 16 September 2020.
21. Eleições nos Açores: Iniciativa Liberal quer eleger dois deputados, Sapo24, 14 September 2020. Retrieved 16 September 2020.
22. Açores: Professor José Azevedo lidera lista de candidatos do Livre, Notícias ao Minuto, 22 July 2020. Retrieved 16 September 2020.
23. Treze forças políticas concorrem por São Miguel, maior círculo eleitoral , Jornal Acores9, 15 September 2020. Retrieved 16 September 2020.
24. Açores. PAN apresenta candidaturas em sete círculos eleitorais , RTP, 10 September 2020. Retrieved 16 September 2020.
25. PCTP-MRPP alerta para aumento da pobreza na região, Acoriano Oriental, 15 September 2020. Retrieved 16 September 2020.
26. Cinco forças políticas disputam dois lugares de deputado pelo Corvo, Acoriano Oriental, 15 September 2020. Retrieved 16 September 2020.
27. "PS Açores Facebook". PS (in Portuguese). Retrieved 18 September 2020.
28. "PSD Açores 2020". PSD (in Portuguese). Retrieved 18 September 2020.
29. "CDS Açores Facebook". CDS-PP (in Portuguese). Retrieved 18 September 2020.
30. "BE Açores Facebook". BE (in Portuguese). Retrieved 18 September 2020.
31. "CDU Açores Facebook". CDU (in Portuguese). Retrieved 18 September 2020.
32. "PAN quer eleger dois deputados para formar um grupo parlamentar (Vídeo)". RTP Azores (in Portuguese). 15 September 2020. Retrieved 18 September 2020.
33. "Iniciativa Liberal Açores 2020". Iniciativa Liberal (in Portuguese). Retrieved 18 September 2020.
34. "CHEGA Açores Facebook". CHEGA (in Portuguese). Retrieved 18 September 2020.
35. "RTP/Açores inicia hoje debates entre candidatos". Jornal Açores9 (in Portuguese). 21 September 2020. Retrieved 26 September 2020.
36. "RTP/Açores inicia hoje debates entre candidatos". RTP Açores (in Portuguese). 2 October 2020. Retrieved 24 October 2020.
37. "FRENTE A FRENTE - ELEIÇÕES REGIONAIS AÇORES 2020". RTP Açores (in Portuguese). 5 October 2020. Retrieved 24 October 2020.
38. "FRENTE A FRENTE - ELEIÇÕES REGIONAIS AÇORES 2020". RTP Açores (in Portuguese). 6 October 2020. Retrieved 24 October 2020.
39. "FRENTE A FRENTE - ELEIÇÕES REGIONAIS AÇORES 2020". RTP Açores (in Portuguese). 7 October 2020. Retrieved 24 October 2020.
40. "FRENTE A FRENTE - ELEIÇÕES REGIONAIS AÇORES 2020". RTP Açores (in Portuguese). 8 October 2020. Retrieved 24 October 2020.
41. "FRENTE A FRENTE - ELEIÇÕES REGIONAIS AÇORES 2020". RTP Açores (in Portuguese). 9 October 2020. Retrieved 24 October 2020.
42. "FRENTE A FRENTE - ELEIÇÕES REGIONAIS AÇORES 2020". RTP Açores (in Portuguese). 10 October 2020. Retrieved 24 October 2020.
43. "FRENTE A FRENTE - ELEIÇÕES REGIONAIS AÇORES 2020". RTP Açores (in Portuguese). 11 October 2020. Retrieved 24 October 2020.
44. "FRENTE A FRENTE - ELEIÇÕES REGIONAIS AÇORES 2020". RTP Açores (in Portuguese). 12 October 2020. Retrieved 24 October 2020.
45. "FRENTE A FRENTE - ELEIÇÕES REGIONAIS AÇORES 2020". RTP Açores (in Portuguese). 13 October 2020. Retrieved 24 October 2020.
46. "FRENTE A FRENTE - ELEIÇÕES REGIONAIS AÇORES 2020". RTP Açores (in Portuguese). 14 October 2020. Retrieved 24 October 2020.
47. "FRENTE A FRENTE - ELEIÇÕES REGIONAIS AÇORES 2020". RTP Açores (in Portuguese). 15 October 2020. Retrieved 24 October 2020.
48. "FRENTE A FRENTE - ELEIÇÕES REGIONAIS AÇORES 2020". RTP Açores (in Portuguese). 16 October 2020. Retrieved 24 October 2020.
49. "FRENTE A FRENTE - ELEIÇÕES REGIONAIS AÇORES 2020". RTP Açores (in Portuguese). 17 October 2020. Retrieved 24 October 2020.
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External links

• Comissão Nacional de Eleições
• Legislative Assembly of Azores - Official website