The right-wing populist party Chega has condemned President António José Seguro for referring the new law on asylum and the return of foreign nationals to the Constitutional Court. The party described the move as irresponsible, arguing it jeopardizes urgent security measures and could lead to the release of immigrants whose asylum requests have been rejected.
Chega party criticizes President's referral of return law
Saturday, 8 August 2026AI summary
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.
6 sources
- "Law of Return". Chega considers the referral of the bill to the Constitutional Court a "type of irresponsible political act"rtp.pt ·
- Chega considers the President's decision on the return of foreigners to be of "enormous gravity"cnnportugal.iol.pt ·
- Chega considers the President of the Republic's decision on the return of foreigners to be of "enormous gravity"cmjornal.pt ·
- Chega attacks Seguro's decision on the 'Return Law'observador.pt ·
- Chega accuses President Rebelo de Sousa of “irresponsibility” for sending return law to the Constitutional Courtdn.pt ·
- CHEGA reacts badly to President’s decision to defer Foreigners Law to Constitutional Courtportugalresident.com ·
