The Chega party announced on Monday, April 20, that it will not endorse the Government's State reform measures, arguing they significantly weaken anti-corruption controls. Party leader André Ventura stated that the measures, including the removal of prior oversight by the Court of Auditors for contracts up to 10 million euros and changes to public procurement thresholds, undermine transparency and public spending oversight. Ventura expressed willingness to negotiate if the Government revisits these points, but warned that the current proposals risk increasing irregularities and lack of accountability.
Chega votes against State reform package
Monday, 20 April 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.
