The Social Democratic parliamentary group is the largest and records the highest absence rate. André Ventura's party, with 29 fewer elected deputies, is not far behind.
PSD and Chega deputies are the most frequently absent from plenary sessions in Parliament
Monday, 2 February 2026RSS
Context & Explainers
The Social Democratic Party ('Partido Social Democrata' or 'PSD') is a liberal-conservative political party in Portugal that is the leading partner of the The Democratic Alliance (AD) which is the country's ruling party, with Prime Minister Luís Montenegro.
The Social Democratic Party, despite its name, occupies the centre-right of Portugal's political spectrum. Luís Montenegro, who became Prime Minister in April 2024, leads Portugal's current minority government. The PSD has been one of Portugal's two dominant parties since 1974, having formed nine governments including four with absolute majorities. Montenegro, a former party leader from 1996-1999, was elected with the highest approval rating among party leaders at 10.7 points out of 20.
The Democratic Alliance is a centre-right coalition that includes the smaller CDS – People's Party, a Christian democratic party that has historically been the PSD's coalition partner. Together, they govern without a parliamentary majority, requiring case-by-case support from opposition parties to pass legislation.
Rui Rio is a centre‑right politician who served as mayor of Porto from 2002 to 2013 and led the Social Democratic Party (Partido Social Democrata) from 2018 to 2022. Known for moderate and fiscally cautious positions, he remains an influential voice in PSD debates and national politics, so journalists and party members often cite his views.
- 2026: Minister of Environment and Energy
- Party: Social Democratic Party (PSD), Partido Social Democrata
- Politician, mechanical engineer, academic
Maria da Graça Carvalho, the Energy Minister, is a Portuguese engineer and politician affiliated with the Social Democratic Party (PSD) who has served as a Member of the European Parliament and held government roles connected to science and higher education policy. Her work on research and EU policy can affect funding and regulation that matter to professionals and students living in Portugal.
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.
