Chega and the 2025 Portuguese Elections: An Overview

Portugal’s legislative election on 18 May 2025 marked one of the biggest political changes in the country’s recent history. The vote was called after the Prime Minister Luís Montenegro’s minority government lost a confidence vote, which lead to another early election, and it reflected a rising political instability. 

The center right party Democratic Alliance (AD), which is led by Montenegro won the most seats, it won approximately 91 of 230 with about 31.8% of the vote, but still fell short of a majority. Chega secured 60 seats with around 22.8% of the vote, which surpasses the  center left Socialist Party (Portugal) (PS), which was reduced to 58 seats with a similar vote share. This marked the first time in decades that Portugal’s two main parties were overtaken or disrupted in such a big way. 

Why Chega’s Rise Matters 

Chega’s achievement is not just in numbers or votes; it is also very symbolic. The party’s leader, André Ventura, stated that this victory “marks a big change in the Portuguese political system.” Portugal has been seen for a long time as enclosed to some point, from the rise of the far-right populist movements that have taken the power in some other European countries. But Chega’s achievement suggests that this may be over.  

Chega’s ideas, which include stricter rules on crime and immigration and a strong criticism of corruption and “elite” politicians, was something that appealed to many voters. The party was mainly popular with the younger generation. The surveys showed that between 18- to 24-year-olds, Chega had about 23% support, which is the same as the ruling coalition. These young voters grew up after Portugal’s dictatorship, and they have less desire for the old political parties, they are more open to new political ideas and movements. 

What This Means for Governance 

Even though the AD Party stays the biggest majority party, it still must govern as a minority or find new alliances. Montenegro has stated he does not want a coalition with Chega. That leaves the government stuck in a bad position, since it needs support to pass the legislation, but at the same time it rejects any collaboration with one of the most influential parties in Parliament now. This idea creates a risk of instability, obstruction, and more negotiation needed for the basic measures. 

Chega now has a chance to influence national politics in Portugal even without being in power. This is because Chega’s party has become the main opposition party, and its presence puts a lot of pressure on the main political parties, who could start using stronger language or stricter policies on topics like immigration, crime, and social well-being. The traditional left and center parties face the challenge of winning back voters and improving their image overall. 

Drivers of the Change 

There are several reasons why Chega became more popular. First, many elections and changing governments (this was the third national vote in just over a year) made people tired of the traditional political system. Second, economic problems, like the high cost of living, expensive housing, and unfair differences between regions, along with worries about immigration and safety, made people more open to Chega’s message. Third, the party’s confident leader and his smart use of media, especially to attract young voters, helped Chega grow much faster than before. 

Challenges and Risks Ahead 

Despite the success, Chega also faces important questions. Can the party move from being a protest movement to becoming a serious opposition? Will it take a different approach, like work with other parties, and taking part in governing, or will it stay extreme and make politics in Portugal more divided? At the same time, the main political parties need to deal with the problems that helped Chega grow, because the political system could become even more divided, and it would make it harder to have a stable government. 

For Portugal, this election is an important change and a challenge. The change is the usual system of switching between center-left and center-right parties could end. The challenge is to see if the new political system can give a good leadership, keep the country united, and create stable policies. 

Conclusion 

In the 2025 legislative elections in Portugal, Chega made a big advance by going from a small party to playing a big role in all Portuguese politics. This could start a new period of far-right movements or press the main parties to change and respond. It is certain that Portugal’s politics have made a change, and the next few months will show how strong the change will be. 

Bibliography

“Securly - Geolocation Sharing.” France24.com, 2025, www.france24.com/en/live-news/20250529-portugal-far-right-party-becomes-second-biggest-in-parliament?utm_source=chatgpt.com. Accessed 6 Nov. 2025. 

Serenella Quari. “Enough Is Enough: Immigration Propels Far-Right Populists to Mainstream Politics in Portugal.” Diritti Comparati, 24 June 2025, www.diritticomparati.it/enough-is-enough-immigration-propels-far-right-populists-to-mainstream-politics-in-portugal/?utm_source=chatgpt.com. Accessed 6 Nov. 2025. 

Morel, Sandrine. “Portugal’s Far Right Leads among Youth ahead of Legislative Elections.” Le Monde.fr, Le Monde, 16 May 2025, www.lemonde.fr/en/international/article/2025/05/16/portugal-s-far-right-leads-among-youth-ahead-of-legislative-elections_6741357_4.html?utm_source=chatgpt.com. Accessed 6 Nov. 2025. 

Jones, Sam. “Centre-Right Party Wins Portuguese Election as Far Right Makes Record Gains.” The Guardian, The Guardian, 18 May 2025, www.theguardian.com/world/2025/may/18/centre-right-party-on-course-to-win-in-portugal-as-far-right-make-record-gains?utm_source=chatgpt.com. Accessed 6 Nov. 2025.