Portugal’s right-wing Chega party has achieved a historic result in Portugal’s local elections on Sunday, winning control of three municipalities.
The outcome strengthens the patriotic movement, which has doubled its support compared to the 2021 municipal elections, although leader André Ventura said the result fell short of expectations. “This was a good night for Chega. Chega has managed to establish itself at the municipal level and become a party with local responsibility. This was not, however, the victory or the breadth of victory we wanted,” Ventura said at the party’s headquarters in Lisbon.
In Albufeira, Chega secured 40.5% of the vote; in São Vicente, 49.2%; and in Entroncamento, 37.3%, achieving absolute majorities over the center-right Social Democratic Party (PSD) and CDS-PP alliances, as well as the left-wing coalitions led by the Socialist Party (PS).
At the national level, with more than 80% of ballots counted, Chega emerged as the third-largest political force, behind the PS—which holds 74 municipalities—and the PSD, which leads 76 through various alliances.
Founded in 2019, Chega fielded candidates in 307 of Portugal’s 308 municipalities—the widest presence of any party in these elections. Its message—fighting corruption, defending national sovereignty, supporting the family, and strengthening public security—has resonated particularly in rural and inland areas, where fatigue with the traditional two-party system has fueled a vote for change.
Ventura emphasized that the next challenge will be turning this support into efficient governance: “Unlike other parties, we do not turn defeats into victories. We will work so that the great national successes we have achieved translate into more town halls, more municipal deputies, and more local representatives.”
The vote marked a setback for the Socialist Party, which lost ground in Portugal’s main urban centers. In Lisbon, Socialist candidate Alexandra Leitão conceded defeat to conservative mayor Carlos Moedas (PSD), who was re-elected with a clear margin. In Porto, conservative Pedro Duarte defeated Socialist Manuel Pizarro, while in key municipalities such as Sintra and Faro, center-right candidates also extended their lead.
The Left, which had dominated Portuguese local politics for years, acknowledged losing ground to the growing patriotic and conservative movement.
Chega’s rise—from 4.2% of the vote in 2021 to more than double that in 2025—highlights the growing strength of patriotic movements across Europe.
Ventura, who has announced his intention to run in the presidential elections scheduled for January, is seeking to build on this momentum. “The commitment I make to the Portuguese people, to Chega voters, to its members, is that we will work so that Portugal becomes master of its own destiny again.”
