António José Seguro refused to take part in the radio debate and was accused by André Ventura of fearing scrutiny. The winner of the first round said he would not promulgate the labour package or regionalisation.
Ventura accuses opponent of being afraid to debate. "I can only laugh," replies Seguro

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.
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Other news coverage of this topic
- The useful blank vote • Observador
- The Bridge and the Abyss • Observador
- Second round of the Presidential election – The third choice: the blank vote • Observador
- Polls give Seguro victory in the second round of the election • Observador
- Ventura on IL's stance: 'All that's missing is a political funeral' • Observador
- Seguro wants to be elected with the anti‑Ventura vote • RTP Notícias
- Seguro on the vote: "It is important to have a very high level of legitimacy" • RTP Notícias
- Ventura accuses Seguro of avoiding debates • Correio da Manhã
- Poll puts Seguro well ahead of Ventura • Expresso
- Presidential election: New poll puts Seguro ahead of Ventura with 70% of the vote • ECO
- Second-round poll: Is Seguro really going to crush Ventura? • Público
- Seguro crushes Ventura in second round with 70% and could match Soares' record • Público
- Catholic University poll: Seguro with a large lead over Ventura in the second round • RTP Notícias







