The start of Nuno Pardal Ribeiro's trial has been set for 26 January at the Sintra Court. The former Chega official faces two counts of procuring minors for prostitution and pleads not guilty. The victim was listed as a witness by the defendant but does not want to attend court.
Former Chega official to stand trial for procuring minors for prostitution at the end of January
Monday, 5 January 2026RSS
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Context & Explainers
An alojamento ilegal (illegal accommodation) refers to lodging or housing that operates without the required licences, safety approvals or registration—this can mean unlicensed short‑term rentals, overcrowded units or informal lodgings. For expats, using or renting such places risks eviction or fines for owners, reduced consumer protections and potential health or safety issues, and authorities may inspect and close premises suspected of operating illegally.
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.
