Reporter’s Notebook: Portugal’s far right surges in presidential election

Al JazeeraCenterEN 4 min read 100% complete by Natacha ButlerFebruary 7, 2026 at 09:56 AM

AI Summary

long article 4 min

The article reports on the rising support for the far-right Chega party in Portugal's Algarve region, as of February 7, 2026. Fueled by economic anxieties, including rising cost of living and housing prices exacerbated by tourism and foreign workers, some residents feel disconnected from the Lisbon government. This discontent has made the Algarve a stronghold for Chega and its leader, Andre Ventura, who is now in the second round of the presidential election. Ventura's anti-establishment and anti-immigration message resonates with voters who feel unheard by mainstream parties. Chega, founded seven years prior, has seen significant gains in the region, using it as a base for Ventura's presidential ambitions.

Key Entities & Roles

Key Player Opposition Context

Albufeira ×240% Portimao 40% Lisbon ×250% Chega (Enough) ×480% Algarve ×785% Andre Ventura ×490% Portugal ×695%

Keywords

far right 100% portugal 90% presidential election 80% algarve 70% andre ventura 60% cost of living 60% anti-immigration 50% chega party 50% tourism 40%

Sentiment Analysis

Negative

Score: -0.30

Source Transparency

Source

Al Jazeera

Political Lean

Center (0.00)

Far LeftCenterFar Right

Classification Confidence

90%

This article was automatically classified using rule-based analysis. The political bias score ranges from -1 (far left) to +1 (far right).

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far right portugal presidential election algarve andre ventura cost of living anti-immigration chega party tourism

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