“The populist Chega party could establish itself as an essential protagonist in the political landscape” | EUROtoday

HAS Like Ireland, Luxembourg and Malta, Portugal has lengthy been one of many uncommon exceptions to the phenomenon which has seen the entry of elected representatives from far-right populist events into the nationwide parliaments of most nations. nations of the European Union. The legislative elections of October 2019 put an finish to this singularity by permitting the Chega get together (“Enough”), created within the spring of the identical 12 months, to entry the Sao Bento Palace, seat of the Portuguese Parliament, in Lisbon, with a complete of 1.29% of the overall votes solid on the nationwide scene.

The sole consultant was then the founding president, André Ventura, physician of legislation, till then an everyday on tv as a soccer commentator and up to date defector from the Social Democratic Party (PSD, middle proper). More than two years later, in January 2022, following a dissolution brought on by the rejection of the funds in October 2021, this similar get together managed to elect twelve deputies in elections which resulted in an absolute majority for the Socialist Party. of the outgoing Prime Minister, Antonio Costa.

In November 2023, Antonio Costa resigned abruptly following the revelation of his involvement in a corruption affair that has remained obscure to today. The latter is a part of an extended collection of circumstances involving the nation's two foremost events, each on the continent and on the island of Madeira, and having led to growing pressure between the political and judicial powers.

“Clean up Portugal”

This is how the Portuguese are as soon as once more referred to as to go to the polls on March 10. This time, just a few days earlier than the election, the polls appear to foretell a slim victory for the Aliança Democratica – a coalition made up of Luis Montenegro's PSD, the center-right get together away from energy since 2015, and its historic allies that are the Democratic and Social Center – Popular Party (Christian Democratic) and the Monarchist Popular Party -, adopted by the Socialist Party, now led by Antonio Costa's resigned former minister, Pedro Nuno Santos.

Above all, the Chega get together, whose promise of “clean up Portugal” and put an finish to it “hides and corruption” says lots about its primarily populist nature, is credited with a complete vote starting from 12% to twenty% relying on the totally different polls.

Throughout an electoral marketing campaign marked primarily by the themes of well being, training, housing and buying energy, the Chega get together and its chief, André Ventura, confirmed their populist character by reproducing the recipes which have made far-right populist actions profitable in lots of European nations: anti-elitism, anti-pluralism, calls for for extra direct participation of the individuals and varied positions based mostly on an ideology that varies relying on the circumstances.

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