The former president of Chega-Madeira, Miguel Castro, has announced his transition to an independent deputy in the Legislative Assembly of Madeira. The parliamentarian justified his decision by stating he felt "set aside" by the new regional party bodies.
Miguel Castro indicated he was not contacted for events organized by the political commission over the summer, even though other members of the parliamentary group participated. He also noted that André Ventura, the national leader of Chega, did not contact him during his recent visit to the island, despite visiting Castro's hometown.
Chega-Madeira is now reduced to two deputies in the Regional Legislative Assembly. Castro's move to independent status may affect his speaking time in parliament and potentially the party's monthly subsidy, which is calculated based on the number of deputies. This is not the first defection from Chega-Madeira, as two councilors in Funchal had previously left the party.
