CIVICUS discusses Portugal’s recent election with Jorge Máximo, a board member of Transparency International (TI) Portugal, a civil society organisation (CSO) that tackles corruption, promotes transparency and good governance and defends human rights and democratic values.

On 18 May, Portugal held its third election in less than four years. This followed the collapse of a minority centre-right coalition government formed by the Social Democratic Party and the Christian Democratic People’s Party, in the wake of a corruption scandal that shook public confidence and reshaped party dynamics. The centre-right coalition again came first, but the far-right Chega party achieved its best ever result, taking over 22 per cent of the vote.

Why did Portugal hold yet another election?

Portugal held a new election due to political instability caused by institutional crises, amid suspicions of direct conflicts of interest involving Prime Minister Luís Montenegro after reports emerged that he was receiving regular income from a family business while in office. This led to widespread criticism of his ethical conduct from opposition parties, which expressed concerned about potential bias in his decisions.

The resulting tense atmosphere and political crisis prompted Montenegro to table a parliamentary motion of confidence. Its rejection resulted in the immediate dissolution of the government, as mandated by the constitution.

How have voters’ feelings evolved over such frequent elections?

Elections were not expected at this point, particularly since the government had an approved budget and the president’s powers were soon to be limited due it nearly being the end of his term. The major dilemma observed in this context was the dichotomy between the ethical demands of government practice and the need for stability as a fundamental factor for Portugal’s development.

Voter sentiment has fluctuated between frustration, scepticism and polarisation. Political turmoil has been rife, characterised by constant, superficial and demagogic attacks. There is no clear path, or at least none apparent, towards guaranteed political stability and high standards of integrity in government. This hinders the formation of stable majorities and compromises political predictability. The perception of instability and weariness in the face of successive elections can reduce voter turnout, increase protest votes and favour populist parties.

How did civil society engage with the election?

As this election was unexpected and took place very quickly, there wasn’t enough time for CSOs to come together around their shared concerns.

Consequently, CSOs reacted within the framework of their ongoing activities. We at Transparency International Portugal, for instance, updated our list of anti-corruption demands and sent it to all political parties, recommending they include them in their election platforms.

What were the different political parties’ positions on major campaign issues?

The discussion on increasing military spending, imposed by NATO commitments – according to which it should be up to five per cent of GDP – and influenced by changes in US foreign policy, brought to the surface the differences between parties, primarily due to concerns about the potential negative impact on the social spending budget.

Leftist parties such as the Left Bloc and the Portuguese Communist Party oppose the increase, arguing for greater independence from external geopolitical conflicts. The far right accepts a substantial increase in military spending as part of a narrative of national sovereignty and reinforcing armed forces, but is vague about the specifics and collateral impacts.

Moderate parties, such as the Socialist and Social Democratic parties, support a gradual increase, focusing on balancing security, economic growth and social responses. The Socialist Party prioritises modernisation, while the Social Democratic Party prioritises the transatlantic partnership. Their differences centre on the model and pace of implementing the spending increase.

What can be expected after the election?

While the victory of the incumbent centre-right coalition was not surprising, the election was marked by the significant rise of the far-right Chega party, which surpassed the Socialist Party to become the second-largest force in parliament. This shift, alongside gains by liberal and conservative parties, secured a two-thirds parliamentary majority for right-leaning forces, marginalising the left to its weakest position since Portugal’s 1974 revolution and enabling parties on the right to implement constitutional reforms without needing leftist support.

Chega’s populist rhetoric, centred on anticorruption and immigration control, galvanised swing voters, reshaping the political landscape. As Chega assumes the role of opposition leader, influencing key public administration appointments and pushing its agenda, intense parliamentary and public debates are expected. Civil society must engage to prevent these discussions devolving into demagoguery, and safeguard democratic institutions and their principles.