Portugal's snap election held on Sunday resulted in a victory for the ruling center-right coalition led by Prime Minister Luís Montenegro, yet it fell short of achieving a majority in parliament. This election was marked by a significant rise in support for the hard-right Chega party, solidifying its position as a serious player in Portugal's political arena, which had previously maintained a distance from the far-right movements observed in other European nations.
Political analyst António Costa Pinto, affiliated with the University of Lisbon's Institute of Social Sciences, indicated that "Chega is the real winner" of this election cycle. Official reports from Monday revealed that Montenegro's Democratic Alliance garnered around 32% of the votes, while the competition between the center-left Socialist Party and Chega was tight, with the Socialists capturing approximately 23% of the vote and Chega close behind with about 22%.
While the coalition led by Montenegro has no plans to partner with Chega, experts suggest that the country may face continued instability under a minority government setup, a situation exacerbated by the political climate that forced the election following a no-confidence vote against the previous government in March.
This snap election marks the third in just three years, as Montenegro's administration faced difficulties from the onset, grappling with its lack of a majority and tainted by a scandal relating to business dealings. Chega, whose name translates to "enough" in Portuguese, is the first hard-right faction to gain significant influence in Portugal since the end of the Salazar dictatorship in 1974. In the prior election, Chega had received 18% of the votes, but its current performance indicates a growing appeal among voters.
The party's rise has been attributed to its focus on anti-immigration stances and economic grievances, along with promises of stricter immigration controls and enhanced law enforcement. As the political landscape evolves, analysts are closely monitoring the implications of Chega's ascent in Portugal's democracy.
Tiago Carrasco contributed reporting from Lisbon, while Emma Bubola reported from Rome.
