Portugal's main center-right party narrowly defeated the incumbent Socialists but fell well short of a majority in a general election that saw far-right Chega surge to become a potential kingmaker.

Lisbon

Portugal recently experienced a significant political shift following a general election. The main center-right party narrowly outpaced the incumbent Socialists, positioning itself at the forefront of the national political landscape. Despite this victory, the center-right party did not achieve a majority, indicating a fragmented electoral outcome.

The election also witnessed the rise of the far-right party Chega, which has emerged as a potential kingmaker. This surge underscores a broader realignment within Portugal's political dynamics, with Chega's ascent highlighting increasing polarisation and the potential for significant shifts in policy direction and political alliances.



Portugal shifts to the right after snap election

As the election evening unfolded after Portugal's snap election on Sunday, it looked like the centre-right Democratic Alliance had clinched a clear win, though not an outright majority. The Democratic Alliance leader Luiz Montenegro, however, turned out to be neck and neck with the ruling Socialists led by Pedro Nuno Santos. Santos conceded defeat in the early hours. The party in third place, André Ventura's far-right party Chega, which means enough in English, surged in strength. It was the big winner on the night, emerging as a strong force in Parliament, almost tripling its vote on the last election in 2022. This marks the end of the two-party system, and it also means there will be a strong right-wing majority to govern. It means that from tonight, we have to begin work so that there is a stable government in Portugal. Ventura is a former trainee priest who went on to become a football commentator. He campaigned on tougher measures to fight corruption and stricter controls on immigration, as well as chemical castration for certain sex offenders. His party's increased support confirms that the far-right is on the rise across Europe, with three months to go before the European elections. Luiz Montenegro, after the vote, reiterated that he ruled out any deal with Chega. That means more instability for Portugal. It will be difficult for his democratic alliance to govern. This is Portugal's second election in two years. It was called after Socialist Prime Minister António Costa resigned last November after eight years in power, amid a corruption investigation involving his chief of staff.

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