At issue is an increase of 2.5 percent compared to this year's national minimum wage, which is 635 Euros.

In practice, the measure implies an increase of almost 36 Euros (more than 5.8 percent) to the archipelago's minimum wage in 2019.

The proposal, presented by the regional executive (PSD / CDS-PP), was approved with favourable votes from PSD, CDS and JPP, votes against PS and abstention from PCP.

The increase reflects the executive's "strong commitment" to support families, said, in the regional parliament, the secretary of Social Inclusion and Citizenship, Augusta Aguiar.

In the plenary session, the projects of the PS, the largest opposition party, and the PCP, which proposed a 5 percent increase in the regional minimum wage compared to the national level, were rejected, in line with what is practiced in the Azores.

Members of the PSD / CDS coalition failed, on the other hand, to draft regional legislative decrees presented by the PCP and PS on the insularity allowance.

The communists proposed this subsidy for all workers in the archipelago, public or private, while the socialists wanted to change the subsidy regime, in order to anticipate their payment from August to April, as well as fix it at 2.8 percent.

With the favourable votes of PSD, CDS and PS, the budget of the regional parliament for 2020, amounting to 13.5 million Euros, was approved. PCP and JPP abstained.

The assembly's work was also marked by the PSD's criticism of the bankruptcy of the municipal company Frente Mar, in Funchal, with the Socialist deputies accusing the Social Democrats of mismanagement when they governed the municipality.