The party Chega has threatened to vote against the 2027 State Budget unless the government agrees to lower the retirement age to 65 or for those with 40 years of contributions. Party leadership maintains that reducing public debt within the Social Security fund should facilitate this change, though they noted this demand is not yet a formal red line for the budget's approval.
Chega threatens budget vote over retirement age
Friday, 21 August 2026AI summary
Context & Explainers
André Ventura, born January 15, 1983, is a lawyer, academic, and Portugal's most prominent far-right leader. He founded Chega ("Enough") in 2019 after his PSD mayoral campaign attacked the Romani community. Chega surged from 1.3% in 2019 to 22.8% in May 2025, becoming parliament's second-largest party and making Ventura Leader of the Opposition.
His platform emphasizes immigration restrictions, law-and-order policies, constitutional reform, and contains inflammatory anti-Romani rhetoric that has triggered multiple discrimination convictions and investigations. Politically classified as far-right by international media, Ventura cultivates alliances with European far-right figures including Marine Le Pen and Santiago Abascal.
3 sources
- Raimundo accuses Government of "testing the waters" to privatise Social Securitycmjornal.pt ·
- Chega threatens to vote down the 2027 State Budget. Lowering the retirement age is a key conditioneco.sapo.pt ·
- Chega wants to review the Social Security sustainability factor to lower the retirement ageexpresso.pt ·
