In Portugal, the center-right party won the elections. The “Chega” extremists are doubling their consensus, while the socialists are in clear decline. This is the first election data according to exit polls. After eight years, the socialist era ends. Portuguese voters rewarded the moderate conservative front Democratic Alliance which is the first party, with a figure between 29 and 33%. The Socialists collapsed, gaining between 25 and 29%, very far from the 41% which brought Antonio Costa back to the government two years ago. However, the formation of the executive remains an enigma. The next few hours will be crucial to understand whether he will maintain the pact between all political forces to distance Chega from the government. Until now, the Democratic Alliance has always ruled out the possibility of forming an executive with the Ventura extremists. But even though this is the line of party leader Luis Montenegro, many of his colleagues are not convinced to follow him. An agreement could be envisaged between socialists and moderates, with an executive perhaps led by Montenegro itself.
(on cover Andre Ventura, leader of the far-right Chega party. Photo EPA/MIGUEL A. LOPES)
Read also:
