In Guimarães, Ventura says Cotrim 'is not right in the head' and warns about the PS's fear. The candidate backed by Chega calls for a 'shake-up' on the 18th and mobilises supporters: 'the country wasn't made by polls'.
From the 'cradle' to João's 'head'. Ventura is calling for an 'earthquake'
Tuesday, 13 January 2026RSS
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Context & Explainers
Populism is a political style that frames politics as a struggle between 'the people' and a corrupt elite, often using simple messaging, charismatic leaders and direct appeals to public sentiment; it can appear on both the left and right. It matters for expats because populist rhetoric or governments can drive quick policy shifts on immigration, taxation and business regulation, so monitoring election campaigns and major reforms helps anticipate changes that could affect residency, work or services.
Chega ("Enough") is a Portuguese far-right populist party founded in 2019 by André Ventura. It positions itself as an anti-establishment movement against what it calls a "rotten and corrupt system" of PS-PSD dominance. The party surged from 1.3% in 2019 to 22.8% in May 2025, becoming parliament's second-largest force with 60 seats. Chega's core platform emphasizes strict immigration control—ending automatic CPLP residency, deporting non-independent immigrants, implementing job-market quotas, and requiring five-year social security contributions before benefit access. It advocates radical constitutional reform, including reducing parliament to 100 members, abolishing the prime minister position for a presidential system, and dismantling public healthcare. Law-and-order policies include life imprisonment and chemical castration proposals.
The party is defined by inflammatory anti-Romani rhetoric, with Ventura convicted multiple times for discrimination. Chega maintains international alignments with European far-right figures including Marine Le Pen, Santiago Abascal, and Matteo Salvini. Mainstream Portuguese parties, including Prime Minister Luís Montenegro's government, have imposed a cordon sanitaire, refusing coalition with Chega despite its parliamentary strength.
