Jardim's PSD trounced in 7 out of 11 Municipalities

Jardim's party, which has held a monopoly of all city governments, was yesterday trounced at the ballots.

In Funchal, the Coalition for Change, led by the independent, Paulo Cafofo, secured 5 of the 11 mandates, the PSD came second with 4, and the CDS and Communists both held on to one seat. Its the first time in 36 years since Jardim took power that Funchal will be governed by a force other than the PSD.

The Together for the People (JPP) civic movement in Santa Cruz won an even more spectacular victory, securing 5 mandates, leaving the PSD with two.

 

 

São Vicente also fell to an independent candidature which joined members of the opposition with disaffected PSD militants. The independents won 4 out of the five mandates, the former PSD mayor will now sit alone in oppostion.

 

 

The CDS, Christian Democrats won Santana, securing 3 mandates to the PSD's 2.

The Socialists won Porto Moniz, 3-2; Porto Santo, 3-2; and  Machico 4-3.



The results have shaken the Jardim dictatorship, but he still intends to hold on to power, blaming the national government for the results and promising to clean his party of those who have promoted internal divisions.