FAR-RIGHT FALLS WELL SHORT

Portugal’s far-right Chega party dominated the headlines in an unexpected way following last Sunday’s local elections.

Instead of overwhelming opponents as predicted, it had far less success with local voters than in the national election nine months ago.

The ruling centre-right Social Democratic Alliance (AD) won in 136 municipalities on Sunday, including in the two largest cities, Lisbon and Porto. That was up from 114 in the local elections four years ago. The centre-left Social Democrats (PS) came second with 128. Chega had hoped for 30 but managed only three, Albufeira in the Algarve being one of them. Chega failed even to reach the number of independent candidates, who won 20 municipalities, or the Communist party’s 12.  

Chega’s leader Andre Ventura was remarkably optimistic as his recently formed party has just won its very first mayoral seats, thus adding it locally to the national stage.   

Despite its shortcomings in Sunday’s elections, Chega almost tripled its share of the votes from the previous local elections in 2012. This led Ventura, to declare the latest results a "great victory" for his party, which has expanded somewhat to become a party with a municipal base. It won the second largest number of seats in the last general election and thus became the official opposition party in parliament after overturning decades of bipartisan politics.

Ventura could become Portugal’s next prime minister if Chega win the next snap election, which will be the third in three years.

 

 

NEW RULES FOR IMMIGRANTS

NEW RULES FOR IMMIGRANTS

The Portuguese government has just passed a law introducing stricter immigration regulations.

According to the new rules, only highly skilled individuals will be eligible for job-search visas. Another condition is that family reunifications for immigrants will only be allowed after two years of lawful residence.

The law was approved in Parliament in Lisbon on Tuesday by the centre-right majority with the backing of the far-right Chega party.

It is an amended version of the original text which was rejected by the Constitutional Court in July this year for being too severe on family members wishing to join immigrants in the country.

Still undecided is the question of obtaining Portuguese nationality. A clause allowing immigrants to seek legalisation by demonstrating that they have worked and contributed to social security for a minimum of one year will be debated again after being repealed in Parliament last year.

The number of foreign-born individuals living in this country currently accounts for well over 10% of the total population. Brazil, Angola and France are the main countries of origin. Significant numbers are from other Portuguese-speaking former colonies in Africa, as well as from the UK, Ukraine, India, Nepal, Pakistan and Bangladesh. In recent years there has been a growing trend of Americans coming to live in Portugal.

The highest concentrations of immigrants live in Lisbon, Setúbal and the Algarve.

AZORES HURRICAME UPHEAVAL

Hurricane Gabrielle is about to battering the Portuguese mid-Atlantic islands of the Azores

 

Massive waves of 14 to 18 metres will cause much flooding and coastal damage to the autonomous region. Heavy rain could add to the flooding and cause landslides in the nine islands before the hurricane weakens and moves in on Portugal’s mainland west coast on Friday.

 

Red alerts have been issued for this rare event. All public services have been closed by the President of the Azores Government, Jose Manuel Bolieiro who has emphasised that “the absolute priority is to protect people’s lives and safety.”

 

CHARITY HELP AVAILABLE

 

ALZHEIMER

PORTUGAL

Alzheimer Portugal is a nationwide organisation created more than 30 years ago specifically to promote the quality of life for people with dementia, as well as their families and carers.

It is there for you should you need their professional advice.

Alzheimer Portugal actively participates with its European and worldwide partners to gather and disseminate the latest information about dementia.

Website:

https://alzheimerportugal.org

Email:

info@alzheimerportugal.org

Phone

Lisbon: +351 21 361 04 60

Portimão: 96276 690

Lagoa: 965 276 690

⸻MADRUGADA

This unique Algarve organisation provides a home-based, end-of-life palliative nursing care service for people wishing to spend their final days professionally cared for in their own home.

Established in 2009, they are now renowned for the excellence of palliative care, which is provided free of charge.

Based in Praia da Luz in the western Algarve, their specialist clinical teams work extensively to help people, and those important to them, manage the challenges of life-limiting illnesses through counselling, therapeutic and creative activities, complementary therapies, advice, and education.

Phone

+351 282 61 375

Email: admin@madruada-portugal.com

 

The more donations they receive, the more their specialist volunteers are able to care for the community.

 

 

UNIRED NATIONS AND PALESTINE

Portugal, one of the first countries in the world to recognise an independent sovereign state of Palestine, will welcome the broad consensus at this week’s United Nations Generally Assembly summit in New York.

 

Portugal’s formal declaration of a Palestinian state was made last weekend along with those of Canada and Australia and the United Kingdom.

 

The two-state solution Portugal has long advocated for Israel and the Palestinians is now supported by most  other countries attending the New York meeting ending on Friday.

 

The permanent United Nations Security Council comprises only five nations: the United States, China, Russia, France and the United Kingdom .Four agree to a Palestinian state. Only the United States will use its veto in vehemently opposing a draft resolution demanding an immediate and permanent ceasefire in Gaza and the release of all hostages. .

 

Despite Israel’s war in Gaza and its hostile occupation of the West Bank being number one on this week’s United Nations agenda, the recognition of a Palestinian state is regarded by some as little more than symbolic. Israel has not only denounced the idea of a Palestinian state, but is adamant it will never happen.

 

Those in favour of an independent state are doubtful that Palestinian leaders are sufficiently able to prevent on-going corruption and any future Hamas influence.

 

Internationally, an agreement by leading Israelis, Palestinians and Hamas militants for a two-state solution, that so many countries see as essential, is not going to happen any time soon if at all. So the war in Gaza and the West Bank looks like going on and on.

CHARITY HELP AVAILABLE

 

ALZHEIMER

PORTUGAL

Alzheimer Portugal is a nationwide organisation created more than 30 years ago specifically to promote the quality of life for people with dementia, as well as their families and carers.

It is there for you should you need their professional advice.

Alzheimer Portugal actively participates with its European and worldwide partners to gather and disseminate the latest information about dementia.

Website:

https://alzheimerportugal.org

Email:

info@alzheimerportugal.org

Phone

Lisbon: +351 21 361 04 60

Portimão: 96276 690

Lagoa: 965 276 690

⸻

MADRUGADA

This unique Algarve organisation provides a home-based, end-of-life palliative nursing care service for people wishing to spend their final days professionally cared for in their own home.

Established in 2009, they are now renowned for the excellence of palliative care, which is provided free of charge.

Based in Praia da Luz in the western Algarve, their specialist clinical teams work extensively to help people, and those important to them, manage the challenges of life-limiting illnesses through counselling, therapeutic and creative activities, complementary therapies, advice, and education.

Phone

+351 282 61 375

Email: admin@madruada-portugal.com

 

The more donations they receive, the more their specialist volunteers are able to care for the community.

 

 

PORTUGAL AND PALESTINE

The Portuguese Ministry of Foreign Affairs announced on Friday that as of today, Sunday 21 September, it will officially recognise a state of Palestine.

 

In doing do, Portugal is joining a number of other countries, including the United Kingdom, Spain, Ireland Norway and Sweden. Further countries that have announced intentions to support the creation of an independent Palestinian state include France, Canada and Australia.

 

The declaration of Palestinian autonomy comes ahead of this week’s

United Nations General Assembly meeting on the subject in New York, at which the United States will be the main opponent.

 

Under President Donald Trump, the U.S is Israel’s closest ally and about to supply a massive quantity of additional military equipment.

 

The United Nations Secretary-General and former Portuguese Prime Minister Antonio Guterres has long advocated a two-state solution to settle the Israel-Gaza war, but such a solution continues to be to be rejected by Israel.

 

While outraged by Palestine being identified as an independent state, Israel is facing mounting condemnation globally for its unrelenting devastation and brutality by means of starvation in Gaza, which, in addition to multiple deaths every day, is causing many Palestinians to flee the region.

 

Israel’s Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu has denounced the recognition of Palestine as a sovereign state saying it “rewards terror” in the aftermath of the deeply shocking killing of innocent Israeli civilians by Hama’s attack on 7 October 2023.

The total surrender or annihilation of the Sunni Islamic Hamas movement remains Israel’s top priority.

All the countries recognising a state of Palestine are adamant that Hamas must have nothing to do with running it. 

LOCAL CHARITY

HELP AVAILABLE

 

ALZHEIMER

PORTUGAL

Alzheimer Portugal is a nationwide organisation created more than 30 years ago specifically to promote the quality of life for people with dementia, as well as their families and carers.

It is there for you should you need their professional advice.

Alzheimer Portugal actively participates with its European and worldwide partners to gather and disseminate the latest information about dementia.

Website:

https://alzheimerportugal.org

Email:

info@alzheimerportugal.org

Phone

Lisbon: +351 21 361 04 60

Portimão: 96276 690

Lagoa: 965 276 690

⸻MADRUGADA

This unique Algarve organisation provides a home-based, end-of-life palliative nursing care service for people wishing to spend their final days professionally cared for in their own home.

Established in 2009, they are now renowned for the excellence of palliative care, which is provided free of charge.

Based in Praia da Luz in the western Algarve, their specialist clinical teams work extensively to help people, and those important to them, manage the challenges of life-limiting illnesses through counselling, therapeutic and creative activities, complementary therapies, advice, and education.

Phone

+351 282 61 375

Email: admin@madruada-portugal.com

 

The more donations they receive, the more their specialist volunteers are able to care for the community.

 

 

 

 

NO END TO MADELEINE MYSTER Y

Christian Bruckner has just been released from prison in Germany and now faces another torrent of speculation as the “prime suspect” in the disappearance of Madeleine McCann

 

People have opposing opinions on the subject, but most of the mainstream media show little doubt that his whereabouts and activities when Madeleine vanished in May 2007 need further investigation.

 

Having just served a seven-year sentence in a German prison for the rape of an elderly woman in the Algarve village of Praia da Luz in 2005, Bruckner, 49, still totally denies any involvement in Madeleine’s disappearance from the same village nearly two decades ago. .

 

Just days before his release in Germany, he rejected an international letter of request for an interview from the British Metropolitan Police Neither the British or German police have sufficient evidence to charge him with any crime against Madeleine.

Still consider a possible danger to society Bruckner will wear an ankle bracket to monitor his movements.

 

 

The Week print and digital publication has noted that in October last year Bruckner was cleared by a German court of unrelated sexual offences alleged to have taken place in Portugal.

 

The Guardian has reported that Bruckner was driven away from the prison entrance this Wednesday morning by his lawyer, Friedrich Fulscher. The Telegraph in the UK,  the New York Times and ABC Australia are among the top news outlets that have today. reported on the release. Rare support for Broukner’s declaration of innocence in the McCann case has come from a Norwegian private detective, Bernt Stellander, who spent seven years studying the area next to the village of Praia da Luz where Madeleine was staying with her parents and two siblings in a rented holiday apartment.

 

In his 843-page book, Stellander makes it abundantly clear that he believes Bruckner had nothing to do with Madeleine’s abduction, or indeed that she was abducted by anyone else.

FREEDOM FOR CHRISTIAN B.

 

Christian Brueckner, the so-called “prime suspect” in the Madeleine McCann mystery, is expected to be released from prison in Germany this week after serving a seven-year sentence for the rape of a woman in Portugal.

 

Many mainstream newspapers and TV channels, particularly in the UK, have continued to closely associate Brueckner with the disappearance of three-year-old Madeleine while she was on holiday with her family in the Algarve resort of Praia da Luz in May 2007.

 

Brueckner, now 48 years old, has always denied any involvement in Madeleine’s disappearance. Bernt Stellander, a Norwegian private detective, wrote a book, The Sudden Impulse, based on his seven-year on-site investigation, in which he concluded that Brueckner had nothing to do with Madeleine’s disappearance. In this, the most detailed document ever published on the subject, Stellander suggests that Brueckner’s opponents repeatedly produced hearsay allegations against him.

 

Authorities in Germany have suspected Brueckner of involvement in the McCann case, but “sadly for the Germans, the crime they were investigating never happened,” says Stellander. He has also told us: “It amazes me that after having had CB’s memory sticks in their possession for nine years, the German prosecutor still let the media speculate that there is something on them in relation to Madeleine. If there was, they would have charged him almost a decade ago.”

 

Stellander added: “It is fascinating to watch the media assist the German prosecution with their desperate attempt to frame this almost perfect  patsy. The only problem they have, besides that he’s innocent, is that he is alive.”

 

 “CB was seeing his lover every night that week, and with a breakdown of driving time from Luz it is very likely that he has what could be an alibi for the reported Thursday evening disappearance."

 

“The truth is sometimes too hard to accept, so people would rather see a perfect patsy take the fall, than to face their own poor judgement.. 

 

“As Mark Twain wrote: ‘it's easier to fool people, than to convince them they have been fooled.'"