However, my guess is that there needs to be some agreement between those who have claim to throne as to who would be the recognized king and how the succession will work in the future before there can develop more popular support. I think the first question that needs to be answered is: What is our primary goal? To regain popular support for monarchy and establish a trend toward the re-establishment of the monarchy in some form? Or to come to some decision as to who will be the recognized king? Either way, serious compromises would have to be worked out. But answering that question would at least allow what issues have to be focused on and perhaps give clarity to the compromises that will need to be made.
As I said, I am an outsider and feel a little uneasy sticking my nose in this issue, and I am not as emotionally tied into the issues as perhaps many of you are, but, at the same time, I feel strongly in the value of your beliefs and positions. So, I hope that the comments I offer are taken as support in your efforts, and are found to be helpful.
I am glad you're posting here, Keith. If we had only Portuguese members talking about this topic, it would be a bit boring IMO. It's nice to see your interest. Don't worry, sometime I give my opinion about other royal families as if they were mine
However, my guess is that there needs to be some agreement between those who have claim to throne as to who would be the recognized king and how the succession will work in the future before there can develop more popular support. I think the first question that needs to be answered is: What is our primary goal? To regain popular support for monarchy and establish a trend toward the re-establishment of the monarchy in some form? Or to come to some decision as to who will be the recognized king? Either way, serious compromises would have to be worked out. But answering that question would at least allow what issues have to be focused on and perhaps give clarity to the compromises that will need to be made.
If monarchists want a king again, they must know it's not enough to say "A monarchy is a better regime". They have to work for that.
But don't forget that those who want a monarchy are a Minority. Many portuguese love to read about royals life and watch royal weddings. But about our own country, most prefer to remain to live in a republic.
As I said, there are not many who wants a King reigning here so the TV's don't care about debates/discussions about the subject. And when they do, the topic of the debate is always the same "Monarchy or republic?" and not something like "who should be our monarch?", simply because most people wouldn't watch it.
Most people know who D. Duarte is, but I have to say that IMO 9 in 10 never heard about Van Uden or Poidimani. So many
accept or tolerate D. Duarte, because they don't know anyone else. If they were informed about the real situation, probably many would change their opinions.
With the monarchy supporters things are different. They are divided. Some don't support D. Duarte just because he is not considered as a smart person and they also dislike his personality. I am not particularly fond of him, but this is no reason to reject him as a Pretender. A King doesn't have to be a genius... Others don't support him because (in their opinions) the Law is not with him. Duarte simply doesn't fulfil the legal requisits to become a King.
So as you see royalists are not united, and IMO they won't be because some prefer to follow men's traditions than the written authority (the Law, in this case). I once went to the Real Associação of Lisbon with a friend of mine and while we were there, I asked a few questions to the person who was working there at the time. My impression was that D. Duarte was a religious dogma for him. I support van Uden but if I see that someone else has more rights to the throne than he does, I'll change my mind. I just don't understand why Duarte
is the right one, just because his father decided so.
I think the best thing to do is first of all to formally determine who is the right heir. The monarchist associations should call specialists in Law and Monarchies, or go to some european Court that could study this case without passion for any of the sides. An exautive study would reveal who is the legal pretender and that way, it would be easier to defend the Monarchy system. And this Study has to be made one of these days, because Poidimani may be a bit
lunatic in his demandings but he is taking legal procedures against D. Duarte and something has to come out of all this.