Portugal's centre-right coalition secures narrow win as radical right party surges

Lisbon [Portugal], March 11 : Portugal witnessed a closely contested snap election on Sunday, resulting in a narrow victory for the centre-right Democratic Alliance coalition, CNN reported.
Despite securing 29.5 per cent of the votes, the coalition fell short of an outright majority, setting the stage for intricate negotiations and potentially leading to further elections. The radical right party, Chega, led by Andre Ventura, made significant strides by garnering nearly a fifth of the vote with 18 per cent, marking a breakthrough for the fledgling party.
As the results unfolded, Democratic Alliance leader Luis Montenegro claimed victory in the early hours of Monday, reiterating his reluctance to collaborate with Chega. However, within his party, there was a spectrum of opinions, leaving the door open for potential alliances. The political landscape appears to be heading toward challenging negotiations in the coming days and weeks, with the possibility of a hung parliament and the potential inclusion of Chega as a kingmaker in a coalition government, according to CNN.
For decades, Portugal has seen a political alternation between the Socialist Party and the centre-right Social Democratic Party, the primary party in the Democratic Alliance. However, both major parties failed to secure a working parliamentary majority in this election.
The vote was triggered by the resignation of Prime Minister Antonio Costa in November amid a corruption probe into the government's handling of major investment projects. Costa, although not accused of any crime, stepped down, leading to a scenario where corruption scandals have cast a shadow over the electoral process.
Chega, founded just five years ago and translating to "Enough," has steadily risen as a significant force in Portuguese politics. Since the 2022 elections, where it obtained 7 per cent of the vote, the radical right party has become the third-largest parliamentary force. In the current context of a hung parliament, Chega could potentially play a pivotal role in breaking the political deadlock by joining a coalition government.
Corruption scandals have contributed to public disenchantment with the political class in Portugal. A recent EU study revealed that 93 per cent of the population perceives corruption as widespread, making it the third-highest in Europe, trailing only Greece and Croatia.
Economic concerns, including a housing crisis and a struggling healthcare system, have also fuelled discontent among voters in one of Western Europe's poorer nations.
The centre-left Socialist Party, which has been in power since late 2015, faced challenges as its leader, Pedro Nuno Santos, took over from Costa following his resignation.
Despite Santos's affluent background, he has endeavoured to demonstrate his dedication to the working classes, earning him the moniker "caviar leftist." The Socialist Party's traditional rival, the center-right Social Democratic Party (PSD), formed an alliance with two other conservative parties to counter Chega's rise in the March elections, as reported by CNN.
At the helm of the Democratic Alliance is the 51-year-old PSD leader, Luis Montenegro, who campaigned on a platform for change, positioning his alliance as a safer option than Chega. In contrast, Chega has advocated for tougher sentences for criminals and a tightening of Portugal's immigration policy.
The rise of far-right sentiments in Portugal mirrors a broader European trend, with disenchanted voters seeking alternatives to mainstream politics. The permeability between the far and center-right is increasingly evident, with radical parties influencing and even supporting governing coalitions. Ventura's Chega, though accused of racism and flirtations with extremism, continues to resonate with voters who perceive mainstream parties as detached from their concerns, CNN reported.