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Far-Right Surges In Portugal Elections

By Stefan J. Bos, Chief International Correspondent Worthy News

LISBON (Worthy News) – Portugal faced a political earthquake Monday after the leader of its center-right Democratic Alliance, Luis Montenegro, claimed victory and the far right surged in early parliamentary elections that could end nearly a decade of Socialist rule.

With virtually all votes counted, the Democratic Alliance – an electoral platform comprising the large Social Democratic party (PSD) and two smaller conservative parties – and the Socialist Party (PS) were each on 28.67 percent.

The far-right Chega party was in third place with 18 percent, results showed.

Yet early Monday, Montenegro reiterated his election pledge not to rely on Chega, although it could be a kingmaker as it secured more than 40 of the 230 parliamentary seats.

The result marked a massive surge for Chega, which was founded five years ago by André Ventura, a former television soccer pundit who was once a rising star in the PSD.

The party broke through in the 2019 election, attracting 1.3 percent of the vote and one seat in Portugal’s extensive assembly. Three years later, it took 7.2 percent of the vote and won a dozen seats.

Despite the uncertainties over the political future, Montenegro told a crowd of cheering supporters it was crucial for parties to “comply with the wish of the Portuguese people.”

SOCIALISTS LOST

“I always said that winning the elections would mean having one vote more than any other candidacy, and only in those circumstances would I accept to be prime minister,” he stressed in an address to party supporters shortly after midnight.

“It seems inescapable that the AD won the elections and that the Socialists lost,” he added after partial official results showed his side secured a slim lead over the Socialists, in power since 2015, in Sunday’s polls.

The leader of the Socialist Party, Pedro Nuno Santos, conceded defeat and congratulated the Democratic Alliance on its victory.

“Everything indicates that the result won’t enable the Socialist Party to be the most voted party,” Nuno Santos said.

The political turmoil came as the European nation prepared to celebrate 50 years since the fall of a fascist dictatorship.

Sunday’s election took place two years ahead of schedule after Socialist Prime Minister Antonio Costa resigned in November amid an alleged corruption scandal.

Costa was named in a public prosecutor’s office investigation into alleged graft in his government’s handling of multi-billion-euro investment projects.

DENYING WRONGDOING

Costa, whose chief of staff was briefly detained, has denied wrongdoing and was never charged with any crime.

Despite the controversies, Portugal has seen economic growth, at least on paper.
Under the Socialist leadership since late 2015, Portugal’s economy grew at solid annual rates above 2 percent except for the COVID-19 pandemic-induced slump of 2020, analysts say.

It has recently posted budget surpluses, using the cash to slash the public debt below 100 percent of Gross Domestic Product and apparently winning praise from the EU and investors.

However, there has been a public outcry over the corruption that has tainted both center-left and center-right parties.

Any new prime minister will be hard-pressed to make the changes necessary to restore trust in politics in the nation of more than 10 million people.