The current debate in Portugal has been reignited by debates over the far right party Chega, spotlighting concerns about authoritarian tendencies and a lack of transparency within the leadership. Former Vice President Nuno Afonso has stepped into the spotlight after publicly accusing party leader André Ventura of suppressing internal dissent and stifling opposing voices. This dispute follows a Constitutional Court intervention that compelled Chega to revise its statutes, underscoring the party’s internal power struggles and the central role Ventura plays in governing the party’s direction.
Afonso, who previously served as Ventura’s chief of staff in the national legislature, emerged as a prominent face of the party’s internal opposition. He hinted at a possible bid for leadership at a future congress, though the date remains undecided. Recent weeks have deepened the rift between the two, contributing to a broader shakeup within the administration. Afonso will step down to serve as an independent councilor on the Sintra City Council, where he will participate as a local official. Ventura has suggested that Afonso opposed budget approvals in the municipality, a claim Afonso denies, stating that his aim was to safeguard the party’s image and prevent divisions within the formation.
false laws
The confrontation arrives just weeks after the Constitutional Court raised concerns about potential restrictions on the fundamental rights of activists. The Statute includes provisions for suspending or removing party members in cases of disobedience, a measure the judges view as a possible obstacle to internal democracy. Ventura has announced plans for a National Council to adopt new rules, expected to be approved in the near future, though these developments have already cast a shadow over the party’s public image.
Many militants have rightfully voiced their concerns, including several who recently left the ranks amid the ongoing leadership disputes. Gabriel Mitha Ribeiro, a former high-ranking official who stepped down from coordinating the party’s Labor Cabinet, criticized Chega as a one-man organization lacking robust leadership, remarks reported by Jornal de Notícias [Jornal de Notícias].
municipal route
Beyond the senior figures, several councilors elected in the 2021 municipal elections have also left or faced pressures. Of the 19 Chega candidates elected that year, six exited the party within a year. Marcio Souza, speaking to El Periodico de Catalunya, described the local leadership as tightly controlled by the national leadership, noting pressure over voting directions and the selection of consultants. Souza contends that Chega functions as a dictatorial party where one person wields power and delegates decisions by his own criteria, a view shared by others amid ongoing tensions within the party.
Afonso himself left the party after participating in the budgeting process for the municipality, which operates within a coalition of the Portuguese Communist Party and the Greens. He argued that such interventions should not have been blocked by national leadership, insisting that politics should improve citizens’ lives rather than disrupt local governance. The Constitutional Court’s ruling was not surprising to observers [Jornal de Notícias].
Shortly after the court’s decision, Afonso urged former Chega militants to return to the party’s address and contribute to rebuilding its structures. He encouraged work on party lists for all organs during interviews with the weekly Expresso [Expresso]. Despite resignations by several senior officials and elected representatives, a significant portion of Chega’s base continues to support Ventura, who managed to elevate Chega to the position of the third force in Parliament with 12 deputies in the January elections. The leadership dispute, however, is likely to linger as the party navigates its internal dynamics.