Ventura blames Carneiro for an “embarrassing deadlock” in the Assembly of the Republic

Monday, 16 March 2026RSS
Ventura blames Carneiro for an “embarrassing deadlock” in the Assembly of the Republic

A new request to postpone the election of external bodies of the Assembly of the Republic, originally scheduled for April 1st, has sparked tension between the main opposition parties. The Socialist Party (PS) claims that no adequate solution has been found for the Constitutional Court. André Ventura, leader of Chega, accused the PS of causing a deadlock that is paralyzing essential state institutions. In response, PS secretary-general José Luís Carneiro announced he would speak with Prime Minister Luís Montenegro to ensure the PS retains representation in the Constitutional Court. The delay, following months of previous postponements, means the election will likely be pushed to mid-April. Ventura claims the PS is trying to exclude Chega from these institutions, while Carneiro argues the PS is merely seeking to maintain its right to nominate a magistrate, suggesting the PSD should yield one of its spots to accommodate Chega.

Context & Explainers

Health cards are private membership or discount schemes sold by companies that offer access to consultations, tests or reduced fees at private clinics; they are not the public health service. The Socialist Party (Partido Socialista or PS) has proposed regulation to increase transparency and protect consumers from misleading marketing or unexpected charges.

Chega

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.

What is the PS political party?

Socialist Party (PS)

  • Leader: José Luís Carneiro (since June 2025)
  • Ideology: Center-left, Social democracy, pro-Europeanism

Portugal's other traditional major party suffered a historic collapse in the 2025 election, dropping from 78 to 58 seats and falling to third place for the first time in democratic history. The party was led by Pedro Nuno Santos from January 2024 until his resignation following the May 2025 defeat. José Luís Carneiro, a 53-year-old former Minister of Internal Administration known for his moderate positioning within the party, was elected unopposed as the new Secretary-General with 95% of votes in June 2025. ​ The Socialist Party governed Portugal from 2015 to 2024, including an absolute majority from 2022 to 2024 under António Costa, who resigned in November 2023 amid a corruption investigation. The PS previously led the innovative "Geringonça" (contraption) coalition government from 2015-2019, a minority government supported by the Left Bloc and Portuguese Communist Party that reversed austerity measures and presided over economic recovery.

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