Patriots expected to advance in Portugal

Patriots expected to advance in Portugal

Portugal's presidential election campaign has entered a critical phase as the country gears up for a decisive vote. Remarkably, a development that would have seemed unimaginable just a few years ago is unfolding: the sovereignist and patriotic Chega party is leading in the opinion polls.

English POLITIKA 2026. JANUÁR 18. 08:33

The party led by André Ventura is poised to solidify its position as the strongest force in the first round of elections. This suggests that Portuguese voters are yearning for significant change, reflecting a gradual erosion of the political balance that has defined the country since the „Carnation Revolution” and the rise of the patriotic party.

Portugal will hold the first round of its presidential election on Sunday to choose a successor to Marcelo Rebelo de Sousa, who is stepping down from the Belém Palace after a decade in office. According to Euronews, the race for the presidency is highly competitive, with 11 candidates vying for the position. Given the large number of contenders, it is unlikely that any candidate will surpass the 50 percent vote threshold, meaning the two candidates with the most votes will compete in a second round scheduled for February 8. The key question is who will be the two finalists.

The latest poll from Pitagórica indicates that the socialist António José Seguro, supported by the Socialist Party (PS), is leading with 21 percent of voter intention; Cotrim de Figueiredo from the Liberal Initiative is in second place with 20 percent, while André Ventura from Chega is in third.

According to the latest public opinion poll conducted by the Centre for Public Opinion Research and Surveys (CESOP) at the Catholic University of Portugal, Ventura, the patriotic leader of Chega, would secure approximately 24 percent of the votes in the first round, closely followed by António José Seguro, the former socialist minister and party leader, with 23 percent.

The European Conservative highlights that the rise of Chega marks a departure from one of Portugal’s long-standing political traits. For decades, the country has largely remained unaffected by the wave of populist or identity-based movements that have gained momentum in other EU member states. Since 1974, Portugal’s political system has been characterized by a relatively stable alternation between the Socialist Party (PS) and the Social Democratic Party (PSD), underpinned by an implicit consensus on the limits of political discourse.

Ez a konszenzus most kezd megtörni. A Chega, mint legerősebb párt megjelenése a hagyományos pártokba vetett bizalom elvesztését és a világos válaszok iránti növekvő igényt tükrözi olyan kérdésekben, amelyeket évekig félretettek vagy csak felületesen kezeltek.

A bevándorlás például a kampány egyik központi kérdésévé vált.

Portugal, historically a country of emigration, has in recent years become a focal point for migration flows, which is beginning to influence the labor market, housing, and public services. The Chega party has placed this issue at the center of political debate with a decisive, albeit more restrained message compared to previous cycles, allowing it to broaden its voter base.

The party has successfully attracted voters from both the traditional left and right: precarious workers, the urban middle class burdened by rising housing costs, and younger voters who perceive an increasing gap between the political elite and everyday reality. This broad support largely explains the party’s ongoing growth.

Chega’s political normalization has been reinforced by its parliamentary role. The Portuguese legislature recently approved a reform aimed at introducing migration restrictions supported by the party and accepted by Prime Minister Luís Montenegro’s government—an outcome that would have been unimaginable just one parliamentary cycle ago.

Concerns in Brussels over the patriotic shift

Chega’s rise is not happening in a vacuum. The party is a member of the European Parliament’s Identity and Democracy group, collaborating with other patriotic forces resisting Brussels’ centralizing ambitions. In this sense, Portugal is no longer an exception in Southern Europe but part of a broader trend of political realignment within the Union.

Meanwhile, there are growing concerns in Brussels that Portugal’s next president may adopt a more critical stance towards certain European policies, particularly regarding migration and national sovereignty.

Even if André Ventura does not win in the second round, the outcome of the presidential election will mark a turning point. Chega has solidified its cultural dominance in key debates and has forced both the Socialist Party (PS) and the Social Democratic Party (PSD) to reposition themselves, summarizes The European Conservative.

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election, patriots, portugal