Chega MP Ricardo Reis claims political rivals fear constitutional reform, while critics warn such revisions could threaten post-1974 social protections and labour rights.
Political parties "are afraid and lack the courage to accept the need for a constitutional review", says Chega
Thursday, 2 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.
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Other news coverage of this topic
- Fear of reforms • Correio da Manhã
- Does the right want to return to the 19th century? • Diário de Notícias
- The taboos of the depressed left • Expresso
- President does not want constitutional revision announced by the right • Expresso
- Chega 'will precipitate the discussion on constitutional revision to stress-test the system' and 'unleash chaos' • CNN Portugal
- "A general and ideological revision" of the Constitution is not justified • CNN Portugal
- Possible new Constitution "will not jeopardise the inalienable rights of the Portuguese" • CNN Portugal
- Poço: "PSD will not be cornered on constitutional revision" • Observador
- “It is an abusive interpretation to say there was a siege of the Assembly of the Republic” • Observador
- The idea that some on the left try to defend, that the Constitution is perfect and should remain as it is, is a mistake and makes no sense • CNN Portugal
- The idea that the Constitution is practically the same, as Ventura tries to sell, is completely false • CNN Portugal
- I do not believe the constitutional revision project will have the right-wing parties united to move forward • CNN Portugal
- PS: "To improve incomes and increase wages, we do not need to change the Constitution" • CNN Portugal
- Parliament has the responsibility and duty to examine the Constitution it has • CNN Portugal
- PSD argues that a constitutional review "is not a priority for the country" • CNN Portugal
