Alberto João Cardoso Gonçalves Jardim, GCC, GCIH (, born 4 February 1943) is a Portuguese politician who was the President of the Regional Government of Madeira, Portugal, from 1978 to 2015. He is a controversial political figure in Portugal. Early years Jardim was born on Madeira Island in 1943, son of Alberto Gonçalves Jardim (d. 1954) and wife Marceliana do Patrocínio de Jesus Cardoso (Funchal, São Pedro, baptized 2 September 1909 – 29 July 2006). He went to Coimbra in order to study at the local university, and he lived there for over a decade as a student. He was awarded a degree of Licentiate in Law from the Faculty of Law of the University of Coimbra in 1973. Jardim became a secondary school teacher. He was also director of the Instituto de Emprego e Formação Profissional da Ilha da Madeira (Employment and Vocational Training Centre of Madeira Island). As a journalist, he was director of "Jornal da Madeira", and wrote for different Portuguese newspapers and magazines. Politics He was one of the Founders of the then Popular Democratic Party (PPD) in May 1974, a month after the Carnation Revolution, together with Francisco Sá Carneiro, Francisco Pinto Balsemão, Joaquim Magalhães Mota, Carlos Mota Pinto, João Bosco Mota Amaral, António Barbosa de Melo and António Marques Mendes, and co-founder of its Madeiran branch. First elected in 1978 at the age of 35, Alberto João Jardim was then successively elected President of the Regional Government of Madeira 10 times. He is a member of the: Council of State of the Portuguese Republic as the President of the Regional Government of Madeira State Defense Council of the Portuguese Republic State Internal Defense Superior Council of the Portuguese Republic Homeland Security Superior Council of the Portuguese Republic. He is one of the longest-serving, democratically elected leaders of any jurisdiction in the world. Alberto João Jardim is also a member and former Vice President (2000–2001) of the European Union Committee of the Regions. He is Honorary President of the European Summit of Regions & Cities. He is the founder and a member of the Assembly of European Regions. He was Vice President of European People's Party. On 19 February 2007, he resigned from his office in protest against the new law on regional finances enacted by the national government of José Sócrates. Due to his resignation, early elections had to be scheduled, which he won