Latest news with #PortugalElection
Reuters
6 days ago
- Business
- Reuters
Portugal's president invites caretaker PM to lead new government
LISBON, May 29 (Reuters) - Portugal's president named Luis Montenegro, head of the centre-right Democratic Alliance (AD) that won a snap national election on May 18, as the prime minister on Thursday and invited him to form his second minority government, the presidency said. The AD won 91 seats in the 230-seat parliament - 11 more than in the previous legislature, but still far from a working majority - in an election marked by far-right party Chega replacing the Socialist Party (PS) as the main opposition force. Montenegro, who first came to power in March 2024, has refused to make any deals with the anti-establishment, anti-immigration Chega, which garnered 60 seats, two more than the PS after the latter's worst showing in four decades. The office of President Marcelo Rebelo de Sousa said in a statement after he consulted the three main parties on Thursday that Montenegro would announce his new government after parliament convenes for its first session. No confirmation vote is required, although any party can present a motion of rejection. The election, the third in as many years, was called after Montenegro failed to win a vote of confidence in March when the opposition questioned his integrity over dealings of his family's consultancy firm. He has denied any wrongdoing and voters ended up punishing the PS for its role in bringing down Montenegro's government, in what many people saw as an unnecessary election. Parliament is expected to enable the new government on its return next week. PS's interim leader, Carlos Cesar, promised his support in that initial step. While the government's first big test is likely to be the 2026 budget towards the end of the year, no new parliamentary poll can be called until at least mid-2026 because Portugal will hold a presidential election next January. Although that doesn't guarantee political stability, the centre-left PS's weakened position is likely to make them a more amenable opposition with more affinities with the AD than with Chega, analysts say, seeing little danger of a legislative paralysis in the medium term.
The Guardian
6 days ago
- Business
- The Guardian
Far-right Chega party becomes main opposition in Portugal's parliament
The far-right Chega party has overturned decades of bipartisan politics in Portugal by squeaking into second place in the country's third snap election in three years, edging out the socialists to become the biggest opposition party in parliament. The centre-right Democratic Alliance (AD), led by the prime minister, Luís Montenegro, finished first in the election 10 days ago, but once again fell well short of a majority, taking 31.2% of the vote and winning 91 seats in Portugal's 230-seat assembly. But the race for second place was a closely fought contest between the Socialist party (PS) and Chega. With 99% of the votes counted on election night itself, the provisional results had the PS and Chega tied on 58 seats each, although the socialists had a slightly larger share of the vote. But when the overseas votes were counted and added to the national tally on Wednesday, Chega reached a final total of 60 seats and won 22.76% of the vote, while the PS stayed at 58 seats but maintained its marginally higher share of the vote (22.83%). The far-right party, which was founded in 2019 by the former football pundit André Ventura, has capitalised on widespread dissatisfaction with Portugal's mainstream left and right parties as the country continues to suffer a housing crisis, stressed health and education systems, and an average monthly wage of €1,602 (£1,346). It has seen a dramatic rise in support over the past few years, winning 1.3% of the vote in 2019, 7.2% in 2022, and 18.1% last year, when its seat count shot up from 12 to 50. Ventura thanked his supporters as the final results came on Wednesday evening, saying his party's historic performance represented a win for the entire country and showed that its political system had 'changed forever today'. 'What a great victory!!! Thank you to all the Portuguese who trusted us!' he wrote on X. 'This historic victory is also yours, it is Portugal's!'. The PS's dire performance – down 20 seats on last year's result – had already led its leader, Pedro Nuno Santos, to announce his resignation hours after the polls closed. Carlos César, the president of the PS, accepted his party's relegation to third place a few hours before Wednesday's final results were published, saying the writing had been on the wall for his party since election night. 'We will have time, later, to reflect and to correct our paths and to once again deserve the increased trust of the Portuguese people,' he said, adding that once a new leader was chosen at the end of June, the party would have to prove that it was 'an instrument of participation and innovation'. Chega's delight at eclipsing the PS will be tempered by the knowledge that it is no closer to government because of Montenegro's enduring refusal to strike any deals with the party. 'Governing with Chega is impossible for three reasons,' Montenegro has previously said. 'It isn't reliable in its thinking; it behaves like a political weathervane, always changing its mind, and it's not suited to the exercise of government.' The small Liberal Initiative party – which could throw its weight behind Montenegro, bringing the AD nine extra seats – has also categorically refused to do anything that would help Chega into power. If invited to form a new government by the president, Marcelo Rebelo de Sousa, Montenegro's minority government will face another fragmented and awkward legislature. The early election was triggered in March after the prime minister used a confidence vote in his government to try to head off growing scrutiny relating to a data protection consultancy that he founded in 2021 and which he transferred to his wife and sons the following year. Faced with questions over possible conflicts of interest, the prime minister – who has denied any wrongdoing or ethical breaches – said he hoped the vote would 'end the atmosphere of permanent insinuations and intrigues'. But he failed to win the confidence of MPs and a fresh election was called. The electoral campaign had focused on issues such as housing, public services and safety. Immigration – one of Chega's priorities – has also risen up the agenda, and Montenegro's caretaker government was recently accused of pandering to the far right after it announced the expulsion of 18,000 irregular migrants earlier this month. Chega's vows to clean up politics – and its hardline stance on immigration and people abusing the benefits system – have recently been undermined by the kind of corruption and sleaze scandals it has been railing against. In January, Ventura's party expelled one of its MPs after he was accused of stealing suitcases at several airports. Another member of the party was caught drunk-driving the same month, while a third has been charged with paying for oral sex with an underage male who was 15 at the time.
CBC
20-05-2025
- Politics
- CBC
Portugal's far-right Chega makes historic election gains. Some are comparing it to Trump
Social Sharing Portugal's third general election in three years has failed to deliver the result that could break the worst spell of political instability for decades in the European Union country of 10.6 million people. Sunday's vote delivered another minority government for the centre-right Democratic Alliance, which will be at the mercy of opposition parties. The significant rise in support for the hard-right populist party Chega (which means "Enough") adds more uncertainty. "We've done what no other party has ever achieved in Portugal. We can safely declare in front of all the country today that bipartisanship in Portugal is over," Chega Leader Andre Ventura told jubilant supporters in Lisbon. "Nothing will be as it was," he said, highlighting the fact that the continued rise of Chega, which he founded just six years ago, proved most opinion polls wrong. In Portugal, local media reported that anti-immigration rhetoric helped fuel Chega's historic rise. And experts have noted it's part of a broader trend that echoes the U.S. and the European Union. "There has been a process of gradual shift to the right throughout the world," Bruno Madeira, historian and professor at the University of Minho, told Portuguese newspaper Jornal de Notícias on Monday. Why was there an early election? The Democratic Alliance, led by the Social Democratic Party, lost a vote of confidence in parliament in March as opposition lawmakers teamed up against it. That triggered an election, which had been due in 2028. The confidence vote was sparked by a political storm around potential conflicts of interest in the business dealings of Prime Minister Luís Montenegro's family law firm. Montenegro, who is poised to become prime minister again, has denied any wrongdoing. What was the outcome of Sunday's ballot? The Democratic Alliance captured at least 89 seats in the 230-seat National Assembly. Chega collected the same number of seats as the centre-left Socialists — 58 — and could yet claim second place when four remaining seats decided by voters abroad are attributed in coming days. Chega won a record 1.34 million votes, or 22.6 per cent. In the previous vote, it won two out of four seats reserved for overseas voters. Chega competed in its first election just six years ago, when it won one seat, and has fed off disaffection with the more moderate traditional parties. Its success shook up the traditional balance of power, in a trend already witnessed elsewhere in Europe with parties such as France's National Rally, the Brothers of Italy and Alternative for Germany, which are all now in the political mainstream. For the past 50 years, the Social Democrats and the centre-left Socialist Party have alternated in power in Portugal. The Socialists, meanwhile, are without a leader, after Pedro Nuno Santos said he was standing down following the party's worst result since 1987. Smaller parties got the other seats. What are the issues? Corruption scandals have dogged Portuguese politics in recent years, helping fuel Chega's rise. Chega owes much of its success to its demands for a tighter immigration policy, which have resonated with voters. Portugal has witnessed a steep rise in immigration. In 2018, less than 500,000 immigrants in Portugal had legal residency, according to government statistics. By early this year, there were more than 1.5 million, many of them Brazilians and Asians working in tourism and farming. Thousands more lack the proper documents to be in Portugal. A housing crisis has also fired up debate. House prices and rents have been soaring for the past 10 years, due in part to an influx of white-collar foreigners who have driven up prices. The problem is compounded by Portugal being one of Western Europe's poorest countries. The average monthly salary last year was around 1,200 euros ($1,882 Cdn) before tax, according to the statistics agency. The government-set minimum wage this year is 870 euros ($1,363 Cdn) a month before tax. What happens now? Portugal's head of state convened the country's political parties for consultations. President Marcelo Rebelo de Sousa, who has no executive power, was consulting with parties before inviting the election winner to form a government, in line with the constitution. In Lisbon, some residents worried what Chega's surge could mean for democracy, comparing the party to U.S. President Donald Trump's government. Antonio Albuquerque, 65, said it was the first time in his life he had not voted, because he did not trust any parties. "Look across the ocean and see if there is a risk or not. What is Trump doing? I think we are in danger, right?" he said.
CNN
19-05-2025
- Politics
- CNN
Portugal's ruling center-right alliance wins election, but far-right makes record gains
Portugal's ruling center-right Democratic Alliance (AD) won a snap parliamentary election on Sunday but again fell short of the majority needed to end a long period of instability as the far-right Chega gained a record share of the vote. Prime Minister Luis Montenegro said the election result was a vote of confidence in his party, but with votes from abroad still to be counted Chega could supplant the center-left Socialists as the main opposition party, ending almost 40 years of dominance by the country's two major parties. Continued political instability could delay structural reforms and major projects in Portugal, including lithium mining in the north, and potentially compromise the efficient deployment of EU funds and the long-delayed privatization of TAP airline. The election, the third in as many years, was called one year into an AD minority government's term after Montenegro failed to win a vote of confidence in March when the opposition questioned his integrity over dealings of his family's consultancy firm. He has denied any wrongdoing. Electoral data showed the AD making gains, winning 89 seats in the 230-seat parliament, nine more than in the previous election. Montenegro, who has ruled out any deal with Chega, said he expected to form a minority government. 'The Portuguese don't want any more snap elections, they want a four-year legislature,' Montenegro said as his supporters chanted 'Let Luis work,' his campaign slogan. Chega gained 8 seats for a total of 58, winning a record 22.6% of the vote, while voters appeared to punish the Socialists for their role in bringing down Montenegro's government. They fell to 58 seats from 78, prompting Socialist leader Pedro Nuno Santos to say he would step down. Chega leader Andre Ventura, who was hospitalized during the campaign after collapsing on stage with an esophageal spasm, said his party had 'swept the left block off the map in style.' 'There are moments in life during which God says, just stop a little bit,' he told a crowd of jubilant supporters. 'This time I am not going to listen. I am not going to stop until I become the prime minister of Portugal.'
CNN
19-05-2025
- Politics
- CNN
Portugal's ruling center-right alliance wins election, but far-right makes record gains
Portugal's ruling center-right Democratic Alliance (AD) won a snap parliamentary election on Sunday but again fell short of the majority needed to end a long period of instability as the far-right Chega gained a record share of the vote. Prime Minister Luis Montenegro said the election result was a vote of confidence in his party, but with votes from abroad still to be counted Chega could supplant the center-left Socialists as the main opposition party, ending almost 40 years of dominance by the country's two major parties. Continued political instability could delay structural reforms and major projects in Portugal, including lithium mining in the north, and potentially compromise the efficient deployment of EU funds and the long-delayed privatization of TAP airline. The election, the third in as many years, was called one year into an AD minority government's term after Montenegro failed to win a vote of confidence in March when the opposition questioned his integrity over dealings of his family's consultancy firm. He has denied any wrongdoing. Electoral data showed the AD making gains, winning 89 seats in the 230-seat parliament, nine more than in the previous election. Montenegro, who has ruled out any deal with Chega, said he expected to form a minority government. 'The Portuguese don't want any more snap elections, they want a four-year legislature,' Montenegro said as his supporters chanted 'Let Luis work,' his campaign slogan. Chega gained 8 seats for a total of 58, winning a record 22.6% of the vote, while voters appeared to punish the Socialists for their role in bringing down Montenegro's government. They fell to 58 seats from 78, prompting Socialist leader Pedro Nuno Santos to say he would step down. Chega leader Andre Ventura, who was hospitalized during the campaign after collapsing on stage with an esophageal spasm, said his party had 'swept the left block off the map in style.' 'There are moments in life during which God says, just stop a little bit,' he told a crowd of jubilant supporters. 'This time I am not going to listen. I am not going to stop until I become the prime minister of Portugal.'
