LISBON, Portugal — Portugal’s anti-immigration Chega party notched another political gain for Europe’s far right on Wednesday after it was assigned the second-most seats in parliament — meaning it will become the head of the parliamentary opposition to the new government.
That shatters the pattern of Portugal’s center-right and center-left mainstream parties alternating between heading a government or leading the opposition.
“This is a profound change in the Portuguese political system,” Chega leader Andre Ventura told supporters after Chega bested the Socialists by two seats.
The center-right Democratic Alliance, led by the Social Democratic Party, captured two more seats to take its tally to 88.
But now Montenegro and other parties will face an emboldened far-right competitor that campaigned under the slogan “Save Portugal” and describes itself as a nationalist party.
LISBON, Portugal — The anti-immigration Chega party in Portugal secured another political victory for the far right in Europe on Wednesday when it was given the second-most seats in parliament. This means that it will lead the parliamentary opposition to the new government.
This disrupts the trend in Portugal where the center-left and center-right mainstream parties alternately lead the opposition or form a government.
Chega’s progress since the May 18 election aligns with far-right forces’ victories elsewhere. These include the Brothers of Italy, Alternative for Germany, and France’s National Rally, all of which are currently part of the political mainstream in Europe.
For a once fringe party that ran in its first election six years ago and only won one seat, leading the opposition is quite an accomplishment. Due to its staunch opposition to immigration and the failure of traditional parties to establish long-lasting governments, it has recently gained popularity. The third election in Portugal’s history was held on May 18.
The National Assembly’s 60 seats were won by Chega, which translates to “Enough,” after it gained two more seats on Wednesday from voters abroad in the 10.6 million-person European Union nation.
Following Chega’s two-seat victory over the Socialists, Chega leader Andre Ventura told supporters, “This is a profound change in the Portuguese political system.”.
The Social Democratic Party, which leads the center-right Democratic Alliance, won two more seats, bringing its total to 88.
Luis Montenegro, who was elected prime minister, was already considering leading another minority government, akin to the one that was overthrown by a vote of confidence two months ago after less than a year in office.
However, Montenegro and other parties will now have to contend with a more confident far-right rival that claims to be a nationalist party and ran on the platform of “Save Portugal.”.
