Home World The populist football pundit who gatecrashed Portuguese politics: How anti-immigration ex trainee priest who called for chemical castration of child rapists led Chega party to ‘historic’ gains in election edged by centre-right

The populist football pundit who gatecrashed Portuguese politics: How anti-immigration ex trainee priest who called for chemical castration of child rapists led Chega party to ‘historic’ gains in election edged by centre-right

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The leader of the far-right political party Chega, Andre Ventura, reacts after the results of the general elections held in Lisbon, Portugal, on March 11.

Far-right football pundit-turned-politician André Ventura has taken his party to new heights in Portugal’s parliamentary elections, with growing voter support, meaning populists will play a decisive role in the country’s political future. country.

Chega’s leader, a former priest-in-training who later became a tough television commentator, disrupted what has long been a two-horse race in the country, with center-right Social Democrats and center-left Socialists alternating their control of power for years.

The Democratic Alliance (AD), led by the Social Democrats, won only narrowly and is now preparing to govern without an absolute majority, while Chega warned of instability if it is not included in the government.

“One thing is certain tonight: the two-party system in Portugal is over,” Ventura declared Sunday, adding that his party “is willing to be part of a government.”

Chega became the third largest party, quadrupling its parliamentary representation to 48 lawmakers in the 230-seat National Assembly, meaning AD, which won just 79 seats, may only be able to pass laws with the support of the far right. .

As Ventura enjoys growing support from his party, Social Democratic leader Luis Montenegro, who is likely to become prime minister, has vowed to keep his campaign promise not to negotiate with the populist party.

Chega’s controversial mix of policy promises includes chemical castration for pedophiles, limiting newcomers’ access to social benefits, stricter controls on immigration, higher pensions and the removal of value-added tax on essential food products.

Ventura indicated that he would be willing to compromise on some of his most extreme policies if it means his party can take office.

The leader of the far-right political party Chega, Andre Ventura, reacts after the results of the general elections held in Lisbon, Portugal, on March 11.

The leader of the far-right political party Chega, Andre Ventura, reacts after the results of the general elections held in Lisbon, Portugal, on March 11.

Ventura has changed professions several times, becoming a law professor, a tax inspector and then a soccer commentator on television.

Ventura has changed professions several times, becoming a law professor, a tax inspector and then a soccer commentator on television.

Ventura has changed professions several times, becoming a law professor, a tax inspector and then a soccer commentator on television.

Ventura has also been photographed smiling alongside Geert Wilders, dubbed the 'Dutch Donald Trump'.

Ventura has also been photographed smiling alongside Geert Wilders, dubbed the 'Dutch Donald Trump'.

Ventura has also been photographed smiling alongside Geert Wilders, dubbed the ‘Dutch Donald Trump’.

The 41-year-old first attracted political attention in 2017 when, as a mayoral candidate in a city outside Lisbon with the main center-right PSD party, he blamed Portugal’s small Roma community for crime and accused to exploit social networks. welfare system.

He resigned from the PSD the following year and in 2019 founded Chega, which means “Enough”, vowing to fight corruption and illegal immigration.

“It analyzed the market and became the product that many people want to buy,” wrote journalist Vítor Matos in a recently published biography about Ventura.

“Ambition shapes his ideas, he seeks a clear path to climb socially, in the media and, later, politically,” Matos added.

Ventura has received support from Brazil’s far-right former president Jair Bolsonaro and has described Matteo Salvini, Italy’s deputy prime minister and leader of the anti-immigrant League party, as a “good friend.”

He has also been photographed beaming alongside Geert Wilders, dubbed the “Dutch Donald Trump”, whose far-right party won elections in the Netherlands but has failed to form a majority in the months since.

Ventura, married with no children, married Dina Marques Nunes in 2016 and regularly appears in photographs with the physical therapist at campaign rallies.

Ventura, married with no children, married Dina Marques Nunes in 2016 and regularly appears in photographs with the physical therapist at campaign rallies.

Ventura, married with no children, married Dina Marques Nunes in 2016 and regularly appears in photographs with the physical therapist at campaign rallies.

Ventura is known for his staunch defense of the Lisbon-based club Benfica, Portugal's most decorated and supported club.

Ventura is known for his staunch defense of the Lisbon-based club Benfica, Portugal's most decorated and supported club.

Ventura is known for his staunch defense of the Lisbon-based club Benfica, Portugal’s most decorated and supported club.

He talks about restoring respect and obedience to the police, and has protested in the streets with the Zero Movement, a group of disgruntled police officers with alleged extremist links who are demanding better pay and conditions.

‘In politics you have to be different. And I wanted to be different,’ Ventura once said of himself, before adding that his path had been guided by a ‘divine mission.’

Born and raised in a working-class suburb of Lisbon, Ventura became a fervent Catholic as a teenager and spent a year in a seminary studying to be a priest against his parents’ wishes. He says he left him because he fell in love.

Ventura became a fervent Catholic as a teenager and spent a year studying to be a priest against his parents' wishes. He says he left him because he fell in love

Ventura became a fervent Catholic as a teenager and spent a year studying to be a priest against his parents' wishes. He says he left him because he fell in love

Ventura became a fervent Catholic as a teenager and spent a year studying to be a priest against his parents’ wishes. He says he left him because he fell in love

Ventura regularly posts photos working in his office with his cat

Ventura regularly posts photos working in his office with his cat

Ventura regularly posts photos working in his office with his cat

After completing his university studies in Ireland, he changed professions several times, becoming a law professor, a tax inspector and then a television football commentator.

He is known for his staunch defense of the Lisbon-based club Benfica, Portugal’s most decorated and supported club.

Ventura, married with no children, married Dina Marques Nunes in 2016 and regularly appears in photographs with the physical therapist at campaign rallies.

‘It is normal that André wants to have his wife by his side, with family being one of the most important flags of the party. “It is one of the conservative Catholic components that André wants to reinforce,” a source from his party revealed to the Portuguese media.

The leader of the Democratic Alliance (AD), Luis Montenegro, addresses his followers last night at the party's headquarters during the election night, in Lisbon.

The leader of the Democratic Alliance (AD), Luis Montenegro, addresses his followers last night at the party's headquarters during the election night, in Lisbon.

The leader of the Democratic Alliance (AD), Luis Montenegro, addresses his followers last night at the party’s headquarters during the election night, in Lisbon.

Right-wing populist Chega leader André Ventura casts his vote at a polling station in Lisbon.

Right-wing populist Chega leader André Ventura casts his vote at a polling station in Lisbon.

Right-wing populist Chega leader André Ventura casts his vote at a polling station in Lisbon.

He has attempted to be an author, publishing two novels that have attracted attention for their homoeroticism and frequent representations of female submission.

His second novel ‘The Last Dawn of Islam’, published in 2009, recreates the last months of the life of the Palestinian leader Yasser Arafat, who died in a military hospital in Paris in 2004.

In the run-up to Sunday’s election, Ventura sought to soften his image by appearing on popular morning television talk shows, cheerfully riding a bicycle onto the set of a show while wearing a suit.

Under his leadership, Chega has grown rapidly.

It won 1.3 percent of the vote in the 2019 general election, the year it was founded, giving it a seat in parliament – ​​the first time a far-right party has won representation in Portugal’s parliament since that a coup in 1974 overthrew a decades-old party. right-wing dictatorship.

After Chega won 7.2 percent of the vote in the last general election in 2022, giving him 12 seats in Portugal’s 230-seat parliament, Ventura said the country had seen “the right completely reconfigured” .

The party won 18 percent in Sunday’s election, giving it 48 seats in parliament and cementing its place in Portugal’s political landscape.

Ventura predicted that in the next election – whether in “six months or one or two years” – his party will win.

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