In this analytical interview André Ventura frames his presidential bid less as a straightforward fight to win and more as a strategic move that reshapes Portugal's right. While distancing himself from Donald Trump’s “erratic” personal style, Ventura positions his campaign to influence policy debates and the balance between CHEGA and the moderate right — a dynamic that may cost his party seats even as it forces mainstream conservatives to respond. The piece examines the purpose of his candidacy, likely impacts on the election, and the policy and rhetorical choices shaping his appeal.
Interview with André Ventura: "I don't like Trump's erratic style"
Thursday, 22 January 2026RSS
Context & Explainers
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.
