A Portuguese politician brandished a Nazi flag during a parliamentary debate Wednesday in protest at `the dictatorial regime` on the mid-Atlantic island of Madeira.

Opposition lawmaker Jose Manuel Coelho, whose parliamentary privileges have since been suspended, unveiled the banner during a plenary session of the island`s regional parliament before describing members of the Madeira`s Social Democrat Party as `fascists`, the LUSA news agency reported.

The Social Democrats, who hold 33 out of 47 seats in the island`s regional assembly, voted to withdraw Coelho`s parliamentary immunity. Opposition parties denounced Coelho`s behaviour but voted against the proposal.

Miguel Mendonca, the president of the regional parliament, said he would ask state prosectuors to investigate as Nazi symbols are banned by Portuguese law.

Coelho made the protest to voice his opposition to Social Democrats proposals to change the regional assembly`s make-up and their plans to limit the terms of elected representatives.