Ventura makes use of Chega's record of collaboration with the Government to seek the PSD's vote if the second round is between him and Seguro. Column by Ana Sá Lopes
Ventura, the Government/Chega alliance and the second round

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
- Tracking poll 'made Cotrim de Figueiredo realise there is a lack of conviction on Marques Mendes's campaign, which he could exploit'3:00am, 11 Jan 2026 • CNN Portugal
- Tracking poll, day 6: Seguro returns to first place, Ventura is overtaken and drops to third3:00am, 11 Jan 2026 • CNN Portugal
- Tracking poll, day 6: Seguro again in front, Cotrim rises to second, Ventura on the podium3:00am, 11 Jan 2026 • CNN Portugal
- Mendes: 'I will go through to the second round in first place'1:45am, 11 Jan 2026 • Observador
- Ventura wants to know which side Montenegro will take in the second round of the presidential election1:30am, 11 Jan 2026 • Correio da Manhã
- Admiral 'weary of cynicism'1:30am, 11 Jan 2026 • Correio da Manhã
- Marques Mendes raises the bar: 'I will come first'1:19am, 11 Jan 2026 • Observador
- On the ninth day of the official campaign, Marques Mendes raises the bar: "I will advance to the second round in first place"1:19am, 11 Jan 2026 • RTP Notícias
- Politics, Deconstructed12:30am, 11 Jan 2026 • Correio da Manhã
- The trivialisation of tragedy12:30am, 11 Jan 2026 • Correio da Manhã
- A Little Fondness for Surprise12:05am, 11 Jan 2026 • Público
- Cotrim de Figueiredo accuses rivals of 'lack of greatness'8:38pm, 10 Jan 2026 • RTP Notícias
- Seguro returns to the lead, Cotrim moves into second8:34pm, 10 Jan 2026 • Observador
- "Alguns comportamentos de Cotrim caem no ridículo": Marques Mendes deixa críticas a adversário à direita6:18pm, 10 Jan 2026 • Correio da Manhã







