What is Chega and Who is Ventura?
The Chega Phenomenon: Portugal’s Far-Right Populist Party and Its Leader
Political opportunism is nothing new. I don’t think we are capable of the type of thinking needed to solve centuries-old problems, much less generations-old problems stemming from the complexity of our nature, as well as structural and systemic issues surrounding modern techno-industrial, financialized, global civilization at our present scale. History rhymes, and people will bring their thought processes, beliefs, and emotions to current and future challenges. The struggle continues as competing factions face off, vying for power and influence using ordinary people as fodder for their ambition, and in many cases, their genuine desire to serve the public and make a positive difference.
For those who may be interested in Portuguese politics, I used online resources and Gemini librarian for this brief look into Chega and Ventura. I have edited and vetted the information in this report, adding sources where I thought helpful.
The End of Portuguese Exceptionalism
For decades, the Portuguese political landscape was widely considered an exception to the broader European trend of rising far-right populism. The consensus among political analysts was that the collective memory of the repressive Estado Novo dictatorship, which ended with the 1974 Carnation Revolution, had effectively inoculated the country against the allure of radical-right ideologies. A stable two-party system, dominated by the centre-left Socialist Party (PS) and the centre-right Social Democratic Party (PSD), governed Portugal for nearly fifty years.
However, this long-held paradigm has been shattered by the meteoric rise of the Chega party. Founded just six years ago, Chega has fundamentally reshaped the country’s political dynamics, culminating in a seismic electoral shift. From winning a single parliamentary seat in 2019, Chega’s support surged dramatically, securing 12 seats in 2022, 50 in 2024, and ultimately reaching 60 seats in the 2025 general election. This unprecedented growth displaced the Socialist Party as the country’s second-largest political force and established Chega as the main opposition to the minority government led by the Democratic Alliance. The end of Portugal’s political stability and the collapse of its traditional two-party system represent a significant paradigm shift, signaling that the country is now subject to the same forces of anti-establishment populism that have swept across the European continent. The ascendancy of Chega demonstrates that the pressures of contemporary crises, such as political corruption, economic precarity, and social discontent, have proven more powerful than historical memory in shaping the political will of the electorate.
The Ideological and Policy Platform of Chega
Chega’s political platform is a direct challenge to the foundational principles of post-1974 Portuguese democracy. The party positions itself as a “national conservative and right-wing populist” force, with its ideology also described as ultranationalist and Eurosceptic by third-party sources. This ideological framework is encapsulated in its slogan, “God, country, family, and work.” This phrase is a deliberate and direct elaboration of the slogan “God, country, family,” which was famously used by António de Oliveira Salazar, the leader of the Estado Novo dictatorship. By appropriating and building upon this historical motto, Chega openly signals its ideological heritage and its alignment with a traditionalist, authoritarian past. The party’s agenda is not merely a collection of policy stances but a holistic vision for a new Portugal, one that would fundamentally alter the state’s institutional, judicial, and social frameworks.
A “Smaller and Less Ideological” Republic: Constitutional and Governance Reform
Central to Chega’s political project is a demand for a comprehensive rewriting of the Portuguese Constitution. The party argues that the current constitution, drafted during a period of revolutionary fervor, is too ideological and contains language that declares Portugal to be on a path toward a socialist society. Chega contends that this ideological bias alienates a significant portion of the population and makes the constitution unrepresentative.
To achieve its vision of a “Fourth Portuguese Republic,” Chega has proposed several drastic institutional reforms. These include reducing the number of members in the Assembly of the Republic from 230 to 100, a proposal previously made by Chega’s leader, André Ventura, in parliament. The party also advocates for a review of parliamentary immunity and the removal of certain government positions, such as the Ministry of Education. More radically, Ventura has called for the abolition of the prime minister’s office altogether, replacing the current semi-presidential system with a pure presidential one. This agenda is a clear anti-establishment move that seeks to delegitimize the entire liberal democratic framework that has been in place for the past five decades. By framing the constitution as an illegitimate and biased document, Chega creates a powerful narrative of systemic failure, resonating with voters who feel marginalized and unrepresented by the political elites.
Judicial and Security Agenda: A Law-and-Order Focus
Chega’s agenda is heavily concentrated on issues of crime and public security. The party advocates for increased support for the national police forces and a crackdown on what it terms the misuse of taxpayers’ money through corruption, an overstaffed civil service, and undeserving welfare recipients.
In a move that further distinguishes it from the political mainstream, Chega proposes a series of extreme judicial measures. The party supports the reintroduction of the death penalty, life imprisonment sentences, and chemical castration for reoffending rapists. The proposal for an intrafamilial violence law, which would protect not only women but also men, older people, and children, is identical to a proposal found in the manifesto of Spain’s Vox party, highlighting the shared ideological patterns among Europe’s far-right movements. These extreme positions are designed to signal an uncompromising, tough-on-crime stance that directly taps into public frustrations and anxieties over perceived declines in security.
Immigration, Minorities, and Social Conservatism
Chega presents itself as a strong proponent of Western civilization and positions itself against what it calls Islamist extremism and mass and illegal immigration. It champions a zero-tolerance policy for illegal immigration and calls for the deportation of immigrants who have criminal records or are economically inactive. The party has also been described as “antiziganist” due to its rhetoric targeting the Romani community.
On social issues, Chega adheres to a strictly conservative platform. It opposes abortion, same-sex marriage, and gender identity. The party has strong ties to conservative Christian movements, and its leader, André Ventura, is a well-known Catholic. These positions form a cornerstone of Chega’s appeal to voters who feel that traditional Portuguese values are under threat from both internal and external forces.
André Ventura: A Profile in Populism
The Chega party is inextricably linked to its founder and leader, André Ventura. His personal background and political evolution are central to understanding the party’s appeal and strategy. Born in a suburban area of Lisbon, Ventura had a modest upbringing as the son of a bicycle shop owner and an office worker. He initially pursued a religious path, attending a seminary with the intention of becoming a priest, a vocation he abandoned after falling in love. Ventura later pursued a career in law, earning a law degree and a PhD in public law from University College Cork in Ireland. His professional life has been varied, including stints as a university lecturer, a jurist for the Tax Authority, and, notably, a widely recognized football pundit on television. This media background provided him with a public profile and a direct, unmediated connection to the electorate long before his political career took off.
Political Evolution: The Path to Chega
Ventura’s political journey began within the mainstream centre-right Social Democratic Party (PSD), with which he was affiliated until 2018. His decisive break from the traditional party came during his 2017 campaign for mayor of Loures, a suburb of Lisbon. During this campaign, he garnered national notoriety by making inflammatory remarks about the Romani community, which led to a criminal complaint and the withdrawal of a key endorsement. The media uproar surrounding these comments, while negative in mainstream circles, effectively solidified his image as an anti-establishment outsider willing to challenge political correctness. Following his failure to gain the PSD leadership, Ventura transformed his internal party movement, “Movimento Chega,” into an independent political party in 2018.
Conviction vs. Opportunism: The “Irregular Populist” Framework
The question of whether André Ventura is a man of deep political conviction or a calculated political opportunist is central to understanding his success. Analysts have applied the concept of the irregular populist to Ventura, suggesting that his rhetoric is not rigid but constantly adapts to the audience, the political moment, and the desired outcome of his speeches. Ventura himself claims to be the voice of the ordinary people and an anti-system politician.
A key piece of evidence in this debate is the apparent contradiction between his academic work and his political positions. When confronted with the disparity between the issues raised in his PhD thesis and his later political views, Ventura stated that he always made a distinction between science and opinion and called his thesis a scientific analysis, not an ideological postulate. This statement indicates a self-awareness of the gap between his intellectual training and his public persona. His choice to separate scientific analysis from ideological postulate reveals a calculated decision to prioritize populist rhetoric over academic principles. His career trajectory, from law professor to political pundit to leader of a radical party, suggests that his political project is less a reflection of long-held beliefs and more a strategic vehicle for gaining power and personal prominence. This calculated approach, combined with his media experience, has allowed him to effectively brand himself as the embodiment of public frustration and channel it into electoral success.
The Drivers of Chega’s Popularity: A Confluence of Crises
A single factor cannot explain Chega’s ascent but is rather the product of a convergence of institutional failures, economic pressures, and social anxieties. The party has masterfully capitalized on a widespread anti-establishment sentiment and a deep public distrust in Portugal’s traditional political forces.
Anti-Establishment and Anti-Corruption Sentiment
A series of recurring corruption scandals has systematically eroded public confidence in the political system, providing fertile ground for Chega’s anti-corruption narrative. The resignation of Socialist Prime Minister António Costa amid a corruption inquiry and subsequent allegations against his successor, Luís Montenegro, created a political environment of perceived elite failure and moral decay. Chega, as an outsider party untainted by these scandals, successfully channeled public anger into electoral gains. This phenomenon demonstrates a powerful causal link: political instability and institutional failures in the mainstream create a void of trust that populist parties are uniquely positioned to fill.
Economic Pressures and a “Geography of Discontent”
Beyond political scandals, Chega has tapped into deep-seated economic grievances, particularly a severe housing crisis that has become a defining issue for voters, especially the young. Portugal, despite its overall economic growth, has the worst housing access rates among all 38 OECD countries. Rents and house prices have soared, driven by tourism and foreign investment, while average incomes have failed to keep pace.
This economic disparity has given rise to what has been termed a geography of discontent. Chega’s support is strongest in rural areas and smaller towns that have been left behind by economic progress and feel neglected by a political establishment focused on metropolitan centers like Lisbon and Porto. The party’s electoral success in historically left-leaning southern districts such as Faro, Beja, and Portalegre, which are grappling with economic marginalization, exemplifies this trend.
The Immigration “Flashpoint”
A rapid increase in immigration, with the legal resident population more than tripling between 2018 and 2025, has become a key flashpoint. This demographic shift provided a powerful narrative for Chega, which linked the influx of newcomers to anxieties over housing shortages and job market competition. In an attempt to stem voter defection, mainstream parties have reacted by adopting a more right-wing stance on immigration. For example, the government announced plans to expel 18,000 undocumented foreigners shortly before a recent election. However, this tactic often backfires, as voters who are drawn to a populist stance on an issue tend to prefer the original to the copy. This reaction from the establishment serves to legitimize Chega’s agenda and reinforces its position as the authentic voice of popular discontent.
The Support Base and Financial Model
Chega’s voter base is not a simple, homogenous group but a complex coalition of individuals united by their frustration with the political status quo. The research on Chega’s supporters provides a nuanced picture of who is voting for the party and why.
Demographics of the Chega Voter
Chega has found strong support among younger voters, particularly men, and has successfully mobilized a significant number of former abstainers who had become disengaged from traditional politics. The party’s success defies Portugal’s historical North-South electoral divide, with its support concentrated in rural areas and in the historically left-leaning southern regions of the country that are experiencing social and economic marginalization.
A notable aspect of Chega’s support is its appeal to religious voters. In 2024, a significant 67.9% of Chega supporters identified as having a religious identity. This includes a surprisingly large number of congregants from Evangelical Churches, many of whom are of Brazilian origin. This demographic presents a paradox: an anti-immigrant party enjoying support from an immigrant community. This apparent contradiction can be explained by a complex interplay of factors where a shared set of conservative social and religious values—such as opposition to abortion and LGBTQ+ rights—and a focus on anti-corruption and law-and-order issues outweigh the party’s anti-immigrant rhetoric. It suggests that the Chega vote is not solely a manifestation of xenophobia but a confluence of socioeconomic grievances and shared cultural and moral convictions.
Funding and Financial Networks
While Portugal’s electoral system requires political parties to ensure financial transparency, with campaign accounts and activities audited by the Constitutional Court 25, specific details regarding Chega’s major corporate or individual donors are not available in the provided research. The party’s origins are described as a personal initiative, backed by a small group of friends. Its rapid growth and popular support, however, have been buttressed by its international affiliations. Chega has cultivated connections with a network of far-right parties across Europe, including Marine Le Pen’s National Rally in France, Alternative for Germany, and Spain’s Vox party, and is a member of the Patriots.eu parliamentary group. The party also received public support from former Brazilian President Jair Bolsonaro. These international ties provide both ideological validation and a broader network of support, helping to solidify Chega’s position within the global radical-right movement.
Critiques and Counter-Arguments
The rise of Chega has been met with a mix of alarm and introspection from political opponents and civil society. Critics view the party with deep suspicion, pointing to its radical rhetoric and its ideological roots.
Criticisms from Mainstream and Civil Society
Leaders of mainstream parties, such as PSD leader Luís Montenegro, have publicly characterized Chega’s ideology and that of its leader as xenophobic, racist, populist, and excessively demagogic. Specific controversial incidents have fueled these accusations, including Ventura’s comments about the Romani community in Loures and his suggestion that a Black Member of Parliament be returned to her country of origin. Civil society organizations and minority groups have expressed alarm over the party’s ranks, which reportedly include white supremacists and admirers of former dictator António Salazar.
Moreover, critics argue that Chega’s success as a protest movement brings with it a key challenge: its lack of a broad and detailed policy platform beyond its core themes of corruption and immigration. The party’s highly centralized, vertical power structure, with immense authority concentrated in Ventura, is also a point of concern for those who advocate for internal party democracy. The party’s transition from a fringe movement to a major parliamentary force will inevitably expose these internal limitations when it is tasked with the complexities of lawmaking and governance.
Advocates’ and Supporters’ Views
In contrast, Chega’s advocates and supporters present a narrative that frames their vote as a form of righteous defiance. They see the party as a defender of “Western civilization” and an uncompromising force against a corrupt political elite. Ventura himself insists that the party stands for “equal treatment for all, with no ‘special privileges’ for any group,” a phrase that, in this context, serves as a populist counter-argument to accusations of racism and discrimination. Many supporters argue that their vote is not a sign of racism but an expression of profound anger and frustration with the system. A Portuguese journalist quoted in the research describes the Chega vote in certain regions not as a “protest vote, but as a useful vote” from communities that feel neglected by the two traditional parties.
This perspective highlights a crucial dynamic: a significant portion of Chega’s support is volatile and is drawn from former abstainers. These voters are not necessarily ideologically committed to Chega’s ultranationalist agenda but are willing to align with any party that effectively channels their anti-establishment sentiment. This suggests that Chega’s continued success is contingent on the failure of mainstream parties to address the root causes of public dissatisfaction. Suppose the traditional political forces can credibly tackle issues like corruption, economic inequality, and the housing crisis. In that case, they may be able to win back a segment of these voters, thereby challenging the permanence of Chega’s rise. The dip in Chega’s performance in the European elections, compared to the legislative elections, serves as a potential early warning of this volatility.
Conclusion: Implications and Future Outlook
The political rise of Chega signals a definitive end to the notion of Portugal as a bastion of resistance to far-right politics. The party’s rapid ascent from a single parliamentary seat to the main opposition party has fractured the country’s long-standing two-party system and introduced a new era of political volatility. This transformation is not a superficial protest vote but a deep-rooted phenomenon driven by a critical confluence of factors: a collapse of public trust in a political establishment rife with corruption scandals, an acute and unaddressed housing crisis, and rising anxieties over the pace of demographic change due to a significant increase in immigration.
Chega’s leader, André Ventura, has proven to be a particularly effective political entrepreneur. His trajectory, from a mainstream party member to a firebrand anti-establishment figure, demonstrates a calculated and strategic approach to politics. By leveraging a charismatic media presence and adopting an “irregular populist” style that adapts its rhetoric to the audience, Ventura has successfully positioned himself as the sole antidote to a broken system. The party’s support base, while appearing to be unified by a protest vote, is in fact a complex and diverse coalition of groups, including economically marginalized rural communities and even specific immigrant populations who share the party’s conservative social values.
The implications of Chega’s newfound power are significant and pose considerable challenges for Portugal’s future. The current minority government, led by the Democratic Alliance, has firmly refused to form a coalition with Chega, creating a political stalemate that could hinder the passage of key legislation, such as the state budget. As a major parliamentary force, Chega itself will face the challenge of transitioning from a protest movement to a party of governance. This process will inevitably expose the limitations of its thin policy platform and its reliance on a single, charismatic leader.
The central question that now defines Portuguese politics is whether the mainstream parties can address the underlying socioeconomic grievances that have fueled Chega’s rise. If they fail to offer credible solutions to issues like corruption and the housing crisis, they risk legitimizing Chega’s anti-establishment narrative and further entrenching a polarized political landscape. Portugal’s experience serves as a potent reminder that no democracy is immune to the forces of populism when citizens feel that the political system has ceased to work for them.
The real challenge is how to enlighten the public and get them involved in their democracy. What kind of political organization advocates for a well-educated population with a deep understanding of how things work?
