Portugal braces for snap election as far right advances

A woman holds a cup of coffee at a coffee shop in Sao Vicente e Ventosa, where in 2022 Chega garnered the highest share of votes in a Portuguese civil parish [File: Pedro Nunes/Reuters]

Viana do Castelo, Portugal – It’s been nearly three months since Portugal’s hard-right party, Chega, held its annual congress in the northern city of Viana do Castelo.

But its electoral propaganda remains fixed to almost every lamp-post on the main avenue, trumpeting one of its key messages for next Sunday’s general elections: “We will end corruption and [get] jobs for the boys in Portugal!”