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European Parliament backs EU anti-poverty strategy report

Tuesday, 17 February 2026AI summary
🏛️ Government💶 Finance#poverty-eradication#eu-strategy#social-rights#public-services
European Parliament backs EU anti-poverty strategy report
Photo: Diário de Notícias

Diário de Notícias reports the European Parliament approved a report on the EU Strategy for Combating Poverty by a large majority; Portuguese MEPs from Liberal Initiative abstained while those from Chega voted against. The vote is framed as a political signal pushing poverty reduction higher on the EU agenda and framing priorities for future EU action. Social-policy NGOs, municipalities and residents affected by poverty should watch for funding or programme changes linked to the EU strategy. Those following Portuguese politics may note the party-line divisions in the vote.

Update: European Parliament approves anti-poverty report

Diário de Notícias notes the broadly supported vote sets political priorities for upcoming EU action and may influence funding and programme decisions at national and local level; opposition from Chega and abstentions from Liberal Initiative highlight domestic party splits.

Context & Explainers

Chega

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.

The EU Strategy for Combating Poverty is a policy framework the European institutions use to coordinate member states' efforts to reduce poverty and social exclusion, targeting access to adequate income, housing, services and employment support. The European Parliament's recent approval of a report on the strategy signals political backing that may influence funding and national measures, so low‑income residents and benefit applicants should watch for changes in programs or eligibility.

The European Parliament is the directly elected legislative body of the European Union, with 720 members (MEPs) elected every five years by citizens of all 27 member states. Portugal elects 21 MEPs through proportional representation.

The Parliament co-legislates with the Council of the EU on most EU law, approves the EU budget, and scrutinizes EU institutions including the European Commission. Its decisions affect Portuguese citizens through EU regulations on trade, agriculture, environmental standards, consumer protection, digital markets, and more.

Portuguese MEPs sit in European political groups aligned with their domestic parties — for example, PS MEPs in the Socialists & Democrats (S&D), PSD/CDS in the European People's Party (EPP), and Chega in the Patriots for Europe group. Key committees where Portuguese interests feature prominently include fisheries, cohesion policy, and economic affairs.

What is the Liberal Initiative (IL) political party?
  • Leader: Mariana Leitão (since July 2025)
  • Ideology: Classical liberalism, economic libertarianism

Founded in 2017, the Liberal Initiative advocates for reduced state intervention, tax simplification, labor market liberalization, and secular liberalism under the motto "Less State, More Freedom". The party gained its first parliamentary seat in 2019 and now holds 9 seats. ​ Mariana Leitão, 42, became the party's first female leader in July 2025 after Rui Rocha resigned following disappointing 2025 election results. Leitão previously served as parliamentary leader and has been announced as the party's candidate for the 2026 presidential election. The party explicitly rejects alliances with both far-left and far-right parties, positioning itself as the "only alternative" that won't negotiate with extremes.

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