The populist anti-immigrant Chega party in Portugal achieved its highest electoral results on Monday, signaling a shift away from the country’s traditional two-party system.
Chega emerged victorious in Portugal’s recent snap parliamentary elections.
Chega’s leader, Andre Ventura, described the results as “historic,” emphasizing that voters were rejecting the current government’s immigration policies.
Ventura’s campaign centered on themes of immigration and corruption, with momentum bolstered by a scandal that led to the elections following the former prime minister’s fallout.
In the wake of his party’s second-place finish and significant seat losses, Socialist leader Pedro Nuno Santos announced his resignation.
While the Governance and Democrat Union (AD) claimed the top spot, it fell short of a majority.
Ultimately, the AD garnered 32% of the vote, the Socialist Party secured 23%, and Chega trailed closely with 22.56%.
There remains a possibility that the rankings could shift once overseas votes are counted.
“The system has shaken,” stated Chega MP Pedro Pinto. “And we are the prominent alternative.”
Portugal’s situation reflects a broader trend of populism in Europe, as Chega ascended to third place in last year’s elections and continued its success.
The government has been destabilized amid allegations related to conflicts of interest involving Prime Minister Luis Montenegro’s family law firm, which is part of a coalition with smaller parties.
Montenegro has dismissed a coalition with Chega and aims to establish a minority government.
