Miguel Albuquerque, president of the Regional Government of Madeira, stated that the island's Autonomy has led to a "profound social, economic, structural, cultural, and educational refoundation".
At the closing ceremony for the book launch ‘50 Years of Autonomy – Testimonies and Numbers’, Albuquerque highlighted the historical significance of the Madeiran population being able to "democratically decide the Republic's issues", deeming this achievement crucial for the transformation of the regional society and economy.
Albuquerque argued that Autonomy should not be viewed as a finished work but as a constantly evolving process, requiring new tools to address future challenges such as technological innovation and globalization. He also emphasized the importance of political struggle for achieving better conditions for the population and praised the work of Rita Freitas and Paulo Vieira in preparing the publication.
