The 2025 local elections made it clear that Portugal still has a long way to go to break the ties that keep it stuck to the usual alternation. Despite signs of wear and tear in traditional parties, there are still too many regions that are unable to take the leap and make change happen. The force of inertia, the weight of dependence and the fear of going against the installed power continue to hold back local progress and demotivate those who want to do things differently.
However, these elections also showed that the wind is finally starting to change. CHEGA, which just four years ago took its first steps into local power, has now established itself as a real political force in the territory. It went from 19 councilors in 2021 to 134 in 2025, electing three mayors, in Entroncamento, Albufeira and São Vicente and winning 1,947 mayors across the country. These are numbers that represent unequivocal growth, the result of work, proximity and conviction.
CHEGA established itself in local government, demonstrated responsibility and showed that it is possible to build solid alternatives to the politics of favors and places. The bar was high, I certainly wanted more, but the path is taken step by step. What was once an emerging project is now a consolidated structure, present in practically every municipality in the country and with teams prepared to assume local responsibilities.
In just two electoral cycles, CHEGA became a major national political force, overcoming barriers and prejudices. This shows that the Portuguese people are losing their fear, are gaining a voice and are beginning to trust those who speak truthfully, without calculations, without masks and without dependence on party apparatus.
But it is also true that not everything went as it should have. We witness unacceptable situations that cannot be ignored. In Lisbon, in early voting, there were ballots without the square corresponding to CHEGA. In Darque, in the district of Viana do Castelo, votes disappeared, fifteen, to be exact, from one polling table. Coincidences? Unlikely. These episodes, isolated or not, reveal the fragility of a system that should be an example of transparency and democratic rigor. This is why we demand a serious review of electoral procedures, so that every citizen’s vote counts and is respected.
Still, the Portuguese gave a clear signal: they want change. And this change is not made in days, it is made with persistence, with work and with truth. In each parish, in each municipal assembly, in each chamber, CHEGA is now stronger and more prepared to represent what truly matters, the people.
The path to 2029 starts today. And if there’s anything these elections have proven, it’s that CHEGA is no longer just a protest movement, it’s a governing force. In Viana do Castelo and throughout Alto Minho, we felt the reinforcement of the structure, the unity of the teams and the commitment of those who believe in the future.
With humility, but also with courage, we take on the responsibility of being the voice of those who have long been forgotten. Portugal begins to wake up. And when the people wake up, there is no system that will silence them.
Economist and deputy to the Assembly of the Republic
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