Portugal's far-right Chega to seek government role to break election deadlock

Record ID: 1764266

  • Title: Portugal's far-right Chega to seek government role to break election deadlock
  • Date: 26th January 2024
  • Summary: LISBON, PORTUGAL (JANUARY 25, 2024) (REUTERS) ​INTERVIEW WITH PORTUGAL FAR RIGHT CHEGA PARTY LEADER ANDRE VENTURA IN PROGRESS (SOUNDBITE) (English) FAR RIGHT PARTY CHEGA LEADER, ANDRE VENTURA , SAYING: "It's important that after this cycle of instability, we start a new cycle of of growth, economic growth, and political stability and I will fight for that, so we need to be
  • Embargoed: 9th February 2024 10:57
  • Keywords: Andre Ventura Chega Portugal Portuguese far right far right
  • Location: LISBON, PORTUGAL
  • City: LISBON, PORTUGAL
  • Country: Portugal
  • Topics: Europe,Government/Politics
  • Reuters ID: LVA001547126012024RP1
  • Aspect Ratio: 16:9
  • Story Text:Portugal's far-right Chega party - a potential kingmaker in a March 10 election - would demand to be part of a rightist coalition government in exchange for parliamentary support, its leader Andre Ventura told Reuters on Thursday (January 25).
    Opinion polls show a hung parliament as the most likely outcome of the snap general election, with the centre-left Socialists the favourites to win the most votes but a combined bloc of right-wing parties expected to win more seats in parliament.
    Third-placed in polls after the centre-right Social Democratic Party (PSD), populist, anti-establishment Chega is seen as the most likely to be able break a deadlock, but it wants to influence policies in areas such as justice, internal affairs, and agriculture in return for enabling a PSD-led government.
    "We need to be part of the government to change people's lives. There will be no parliamentary agreement (to support the PSD) without a government agreement," he said.
    He added that there was a "very low" chance of such a government taking over "without members of Chega" in it.
    Chega's demands will be difficult to swallow, adding to political uncertainly, as PSD leader Luis Montenegro has previously ruled out any agreement with Chega.
    But Ventura draws inspiration from Italy, where centrist parties backed a coalition led by the hard-right Brothers of Italy.
    Chega supports the death penalty, chemical castration for repeat rapists and wants zero tolerance for illegal immigration.
    It has said it wants Portugal to have more freedom from the European Union to pursue some bilateral economic ties and defends a new EU treaty on immigration.
    Chega has grown rapidly since its creation in 2019, when it won 1.3% of the vote in an election that year and the far-right's first seat since the end of Portugal's dictatorship in 1974.
    Far-left parties accused Chega of fascism, xenophobia and racism but Ventura rejected those labels and said his party "touches on issues that interest people", such immigration and corruption.
    (Production: Miguel Pereira, Sergio Goncalves)
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