Ventura, after Seguro declined more than one debate, accuses his opponent of being 'Miss Portugal' because 'nobody can tell him anything and he escapes unscathed without having to commit to anything'.
Ventura on IL's stance: 'All that's missing is a political funeral'

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 vote12:00am, 24 Jan 2026 • Observador
- The Bridge and the Abyss12:00am, 24 Jan 2026 • Observador
- Second round of the Presidential election – The third choice: the blank vote12:00am, 24 Jan 2026 • Observador
- Polls give Seguro victory in the second round of the election9:50pm, 23 Jan 2026 • Observador
- Ventura accuses opponent of being afraid to debate. "I can only laugh," replies Seguro9:23pm, 23 Jan 2026 • Público
- Seguro wants to be elected with the anti‑Ventura vote8:46pm, 23 Jan 2026 • RTP Notícias
- Seguro on the vote: "It is important to have a very high level of legitimacy"8:42pm, 23 Jan 2026 • RTP Notícias
- Ventura accuses Seguro of avoiding debates8:23pm, 23 Jan 2026 • Correio da Manhã
- Poll puts Seguro well ahead of Ventura8:15pm, 23 Jan 2026 • Expresso
- Presidential election: New poll puts Seguro ahead of Ventura with 70% of the vote8:11pm, 23 Jan 2026 • ECO
- Second-round poll: Is Seguro really going to crush Ventura?8:02pm, 23 Jan 2026 • Público
- Seguro crushes Ventura in second round with 70% and could match Soares' record8:00pm, 23 Jan 2026 • Público
- Catholic University poll: Seguro with a large lead over Ventura in the second round7:59pm, 23 Jan 2026 • RTP Notícias






