Chega’s emergence as Portugal’s main opposition party underscores the far-right’s significant rise in the country. Over six years, the ultranationalist party has increased its representation from a single lawmaker to holding over a quarter of the parliamentary seats.
Portuguese voters embraced a far-right narrative portraying mainstream parties as corrupt and ineffective in tackling issues like low wages, the housing crisis, and immigration. Expat communities in France, Luxembourg, the U.K., and Brazil heavily supported Chega, attracted by its promise to create favorable economic conditions for emigrés to return.
Chega leader Ventura pledged to lead a “smooth and healthy regime change” while addressing supporters, assuring that only those “who have spent the past 50 years robbing Portugal” should fear him.
The far-right party’s gains in the recent snap elections — the third in three years — came at the Socialist Party’s expense, as Chega dominated the southern half of Portugal, overtaking districts long controlled by the Socialists since the 1974 Carnation Revolution.
The Socialists, who recently held an absolute majority under Prime Minister António Costa, have struggled since his resignation amid a scandal and his subsequent appointment as president of the European Council. The party is set to elect former Interior Minister José Luís Carneiro as the new leader, following Pedro Nuno Santos’ resignation on election night.
Carneiro, untainted by scandal, promises a moderate approach and is crucial for collaboration with Montenegro to keep Chega at bay nationally. He has indicated support for the incumbent prime minister’s efforts to form a new minority government quickly.
Portuguese voters will return to the polls for local elections this fall, where Chega is expected to make further gains, potentially securing up to 21 city halls, including Sintra and other municipalities governed by the left since the Estado Novo dictatorship’s fall.
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