Portugal’s Establishment Closes Ranks Against Far Right

According to Politico Europe, Portugal’s mainstream centre-right is rallying behind Socialist candidate António José Seguro in a rare tactical alliance aimed at blocking a potential victory by far-right leader André Ventura, founder of Chega, party ranked 176th in the last, Tier 4, of the DMI Index, in the upcoming presidential runoff.

Although Seguro and the mainstream conservative Social Democratic Party (Portugal), ranked 64th in Tier 2 of the DMI Index, are long-time rivals, senior figures on the right argue that preventing a Chega presidency now outweighs traditional party loyalties. Their concern is that a Ventura win, even in Portugal’s largely ceremonial presidency, would further legitimise the far right and reshape the political climate.

The vote comes at a sensitive moment. Chega’s rapid rise in recent elections has already disrupted Portugal’s traditional two-party dominance, and the runoff is widely seen as a broader test of whether democratic parties can contain populist momentum. While the presidency holds limited executive power, it plays a key role in times of political crisis and carries significant symbolic weight.

As Politico frames it, this cross-party backing of Seguro is less about ideology and more about drawing a line against far-right normalisation at a pivotal moment for Portuguese politics.

Portugal is heading into a crucial presidential runoff on 8 February 2026, a contest that has taken on outsized political significance amid rising polarisation in the country. In the first round on 18 January, António José Seguro, the centre-left Socialist candidate, won the most votes (about 31%) and will face André Ventura, leader of the far-right Chega party, who finished second (about 23–24%). Because no one secured over 50%, this will be only the second presidential run-off in Portugal since democracy was restored in the 1970s, signalling a fragmented political landscape. 

Ventura, whose Chega has surged in recent elections and polls into the runoff, has capitalised on anti-establishment sentiment with a tough stance on immigration and corruption. His critics argue his rhetoric and policy proposals are divisive and risky for Portugal’s democratic norms. By contrast, Seguro is portrayed by his backers as a moderate alternative who can unite democratic parties against far-right influence.