The Minister of Internal Administration, Luís Neves, announced he will not resign, adopting the same posture of refusal to yield to political pressure that the president of the Regional Government of Madeira, Miguel Albuquerque, habitually uses in the face of crises. At Quinta Vigia, Luís Neves told journalists: "It's when I decide. Not when you decide," rhetoric identical to Albuquerque's.
The article states that Luís Neves came from the Judicial Police and, alongside Albuquerque, reproduces the same register of force and refusal to capitulate. Both seek to deflect focus from resignation demands through field agendas, such as visits to PSP and GNR facilities in Madeira and Porto Santo, and criticism of "historic underinvestment," trying to convey the image that the Government remains functional.
Albuquerque's declaration maintaining confidence in Luís Neves demonstrates PSD's alignment to avoid creating "domino effects." The article considers that yielding to resignation demands is seen by this leadership as a demonstration of weakness that would empower opponents.
The text concludes that this normalization of staying in office at all costs wears down the trust relationship between citizens and democratic institutions, and that the growth of populisms, like Chega, is fueled by this type of behavior. The article warns that political accountability and calls for resignation have historically been vital mechanisms of democratic hygiene.
