Since 2019, but especially since the result of the legislative elections in May, there has been a giant attempt to normalize or mitigate everything Chega stands for. A kind of majority will in the public space on behalf of the million and a half voters reached by that party.
The idea is that much of the reflection of actions would be disregarded and what André Ventura said or did would be candidly evaluated. As I had the opportunity to say in due time, the victory on May 18th belonged to the PSD, but it was treated as if Chega had won, on that day, an absolute majority that was proof against anything.
The moderation that some advocated without realizing the root and greater success of Chega never came and, therefore, Ventura’s supposed efficiency began to override the content. Racism became a detail. The posters would not generate what they ended up generating. Discontent and the number of voters were a justification for everything. The absence of intelligence, political density and intellectual cowardice have too often masked themselves as added value in the public space. Silence in relation to the most relevant, a prize. The “three Salazars” were nothing more than news itemof course. And so on…
From the global situation with the growth of these parties, to the financing of the international party to which it belongs, to national financiers and through the influence it has gained in various sectors, Chega has become an integral part of the system for some time, but it has achieved all this new leverage since the May legislative elections.
It is fair to say that the current Government was central to all of this. In his eagerness to win over the electorate that had voted for the extreme right, he gave in to the agenda of false narratives, perceptions, and some radical positioning, completely putting aside the political fight and what matters most in the country.
However, the municipal elections were the first sign of the loss of some momentum for Chega and the recent presidential ones, despite being a separate case, left all the rejection explained. First to the party. Then, to the figure that certainly has the most votes, it counts for the same thing.
Benefiting from a fragmentation of candidates from the democratic right, André Ventura went through to the second round, where he had the disciplined trajectory of Seguro, but whose campaign was far from being mobilizing in itself (I am not part of the robbers of the moment).
From the absence of positions in foreign policy to a disregard for the use of words as the primary engine of action, to the work of deputies, to the interpretation that an extremist like Ventura, who uses commonplaces, falsehoods, insults, and does not let anyone speak, has the gift of rhetoric. Be that as it may, António José Seguro made history, he deserved the vote for existing politically in a challenging time and for being a democrat.
From here I return to the most important reflection: the majority of Portuguese people do not want the normalization of André Ventura’s party and the Government wasted almost two years believing otherwise.
Add this to the many media who yearn for Dr. Passos Coelho to federalize this space, with Chega included(!), and it will be ensured that this majority of Portuguese people will be able to continue to have the right they do not ask for.
And the one that doesn’t deserve it either, let’s say.
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