Portugal’s Assembly of the Republic commemorated on Friday the 50th anniversary celebration of the constitutional autonomy of the Azores and Madeira archipelagos with a special solemn plenary session honoring one of the most significant democratic achievements of the 1976 Constitution.
The anniversary also became a platform for renewed calls to deepen the autonomy of the two Atlantic regions, highlighting the constitutional significance of self-government, established after the 1974 Carnation Revolution and formally enshrined in Portugal’s 1976 Constitution.
Politically and administratively, the Azores, together with Madeira, are two distinct autonomous regions of Portugal and peripheral Atlantic regions of the European Union.
The ceremony brought together the country’s top political leaders, including the presidents of the regional governments and the legislatures of both autonomous regions, to celebrate five decades of self-government and reflect on the future of regional autonomy.
Both regional leaders emphasized that the Azores and Madeira should be viewed as strategic partners whose geographic position, maritime resources, and contributions to Portugal’s international influence extend far beyond budgetary considerations.
President José Manuel Bolieiro
Addressing the Assembly of the Republic, the President of the Regional Government of the Azores, José Manuel Bolieiro, argued that the relationship between Lisbon and the islands must evolve beyond a financial perspective. He urged the Portuguese state to stop viewing the autonomous regions “only as a financial burden” and instead recognize them as strategic assets for Portugal’s Atlantic, European, and global interests.
President Bolieiro defended broader political and administrative powers, maintaining that autonomy has consistently strengthened, not weakened, national unity. He has repeatedly described autonomy as “a fundamental achievement” of Portugal’s democratic Constitution and a source of “celebration and pride.”
“This celebration honours those who understood that Portuguese democracy would only be complete by enshrining the identity, aspirations and capacity for self-government of the island peoples,” he said.
President Miguel Albuquerque
The President of the Regional Government of Madeira, Miguel Albuquerque, echoed that message, arguing that the 50th anniversary should mark a new stage in the relationship between the Republic and its autonomous regions.
Albuquerque has long advocated greater fiscal and administrative powers for Madeira, insisting that autonomy should continue to evolve to better address the realities of regional governance.
“The political autonomy of Madeira is one of the most successful achievements of Portuguese democracy, as it promoted a structural, economic, educational, social, and cultural modernization that was unthinkable for previous generations, who unfortunately did not live through this historical moment,” he said.
Over the past five decades, the autonomous governments and legislatures have assumed self-governing in areas such as education, health care, transportation, culture, environmental protection, economic development, and regional planning.
The regional leaders also stressed that the 50th anniversary of self-government is not only a tribute to the past but also an opportunity to modernize Portugal’s constitutional framework so that the Azores and Madeira can exercise greater responsibility over matters that directly affect the autonomous regions and their citizens while remaining integral parts of the Portuguese Republic.
Carolina Matos/Editor
