Chega
The New Portuguese Far Right
Published on 29. December 2025
150 pages
978-1-040-76750-4 (ISBN)
Description
In the late 2010s, the Portuguese immunity to the far right came to a sudden end at the 2019 general elections, after the election of Chega's leader - Andre Ventura - to the Assembly of the Republic. In 2025, Chega became the second party with the largest parliamentary representation after securing 23 per cent of the vote and transformed the bipolar party system observed since 1974. This book is the first in-depth examination of the new Portuguese far-right party - Chega, whose ascension prompted a watershed in Portuguese politics.
Overall, the Portuguese case study suggests that no country is immune to the emergence of far-right parties or to their quick normalisation in the national party system. Secondly, this investigation highlights the absence of a rule that fits all cases to understand far-right parties' electoral breakthroughs or their consolidation at the national level. Drawing upon qualitative and quantitative data, the book's contents examine the new Portuguese far-right party according to different perspectives following the dichotomy of political supply and political demand.
This book will appeal to undergraduate students, postgraduate researchers, and scholars interested in topics such as South European politics, the far right, populism, and comparative politics.
Overall, the Portuguese case study suggests that no country is immune to the emergence of far-right parties or to their quick normalisation in the national party system. Secondly, this investigation highlights the absence of a rule that fits all cases to understand far-right parties' electoral breakthroughs or their consolidation at the national level. Drawing upon qualitative and quantitative data, the book's contents examine the new Portuguese far-right party according to different perspectives following the dichotomy of political supply and political demand.
This book will appeal to undergraduate students, postgraduate researchers, and scholars interested in topics such as South European politics, the far right, populism, and comparative politics.
Reviews / Votes
"Bringing together leading experts in the field, this book is the first to explain at length the unexpected flash ascent of a new far right party in Portugal and its political consequences. Not so different from the other populist radical rights in Europe, yet not quite the same, Chega condenses the challenges facing democracy today. A must-read."Nonna Mayer, Research professor emerita, CEE-Sciences Po-CNRS
"No country is immune to the far right, and no country illustrates this troubling fact more clearly than Portugal. Whereas more entrenched far-right parties in Greece and Spain falter or stagnate, Andre Ventura's Chega has gone from strength to strength, and now we finally have a solidly researched book to make sense of this worrying development. Clarifying and timely!"
Cas Mudde, author of The Far Right Today
"This outstanding volume is the first to capture the end of Portuguese exceptionalism and the rise of Chega. The contributors offer nuanced and non-hyperbolic analyses of social media usage and rigorous profiles of the party's development, ideology, voters, and members. Students of European politics need to read this volume to learn just how much--but also how little--Chega has in common with other radical right parties of the fourth wave."
David Art, Professor of Political Science, Tufts University
"This volume provides a comprehensive account of a major shift in Portuguese party politics: the rise of Chega. Using data from multiple sources, the contributors trace the party's belated but rapid ascent and offer extremely valuable insights to the comparative study of the populist radical right in Europe."
Pedro C. Magalhaes, Institute of Social Sciences of the University of Lisbon
More details
Series
Language
English
Place of publication
London
United Kingdom
Publishing group
Taylor & Francis Ltd
Target group
College/higher education
Illustrations
8 Tables, black and white; 9 Line drawings, black and white; 9 Illustrations, black and white
File size
5,08 MB
ISBN-13
978-1-040-76750-4 (9781040767504)
Copyright in bibliographic data and cover images is held by Nielsen Book Services Limited or by the publishers or by their respective licensors: all rights reserved.
Schweitzer Classification
Other editions
Additional editions
Book
approx. 12/2025
1st Edition
Routledge
€218.10
Not yet published
Person
Joao Carvalho is an assistant researcher in CIES-Iscte. His research interests encompass the politics of international migration and the far right.
Content
Introduction 1. The rendering of the old far right/ the origin and formation of Chega 2. Chega's ideological profile and agenda 3. Media exposure and Chega's electoral success: the invisible hand? 4. Chega's social media presence (2018-2023): Emerging topics and themes wrapped in blatant pliability 5. The Electoral Geography of the Populist Radical Right Vote in Portugal 6. The Demand for Chega: Opening Pandora's Box 7. Inside Chega's membership Concluding remarks
