©Reuters. Andre Ventura, leader of the far-right Chega political party, gestures as he queues at a polling station during the general elections in Lisbon, Portugal, March 10, 2024. REUTERS/Violeta Santos Moura
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By Sergio Goncalves, Catarina Demony, David Latona
LISBON (Reuters) – Portugal’s centre-right Democratic Alliance was expected to come first in Sunday’s parliamentary elections but failed to secure an absolute majority with 92% of votes counted, prompting difficult negotiations with the far right he made huge profits.
The populist, far-right Chega party came third with nearly 19% of the vote, nearly tripling its result in the last election in early 2022, when it won 7.2%. He has campaigned with an anti-establishment message and promises to wipe out corruption and hostility towards what he sees as “excessive” immigration.
Pending the final count, the Democratic Alliance (AD) garnered 29.8% of the vote, slightly ahead of the incumbent Socialist Party (PS) which had gained 28.7%.
The provisional results were in line with exit polls released after polling stations closed at 8pm (2000 GMT). Voter turnout was nearly 65%, up sharply from 51.5% in 2022.
“It’s the end of the two-party system,” Chega leader Andre Ventura told reporters, referring to the PS and the Social Democratic Party (PSD), which leads the newly formed AD. The two have alternated in power since the end of the fascist dictatorship fifty years ago.
Sunday’s vote clearly shows that the Portuguese want a coalition government between AD and Chega, Ventura added.
However, the CEO has so far ruled out any deal with Chega, which could create an unstable minority government that far-right lawmakers could overthrow at any time.
At the AD election night party, supporter Paula Madeiro said there was “no doubt that instability will be constant.”
Alexandra Ferreira, a 21-year-old law student and member of the Socialist Party, said she was “very sad” about the results because of the rise of the far right. According to her, this shows that “we have a society without memory”, referring to the dictatorship that ended in 1974.
AD supporter Joao Cunha, also 21, said the country’s situation was grave after eight years of PS rule, with young people still emigrating in search of better opportunities. He hoped that a change in government would bring reforms in the health sector and higher education.
Sunday’s runoff was triggered by the resignation of Socialist Prime Minister Antonio Costa four months ago amid a corruption investigation.
Issues dominating the campaign in Western Europe’s poorest country include a crippling housing crisis, low wages, declining healthcare and corruption, seen by many as endemic to mainstream parties.