André Ventura seeks reelection as Chega leader with goal to govern

André Ventura has submitted a motion to run for reelection as the president of the Chega party. His strategic platform, which is the only one presented ahead of the direct elections this Saturday, focuses on the fundamental objective of reaching the Portuguese government to implement systemic political changes.

Ventura’s motion highlights the party’s growth from a single parliamentary representative in 2019 to 60 deputies in 2025. He criticizes the current state of the country, citing issues such as bureaucracy, corruption, and housing difficulties. His housing proposals include ending property tax (IMI) for permanent residences and exempting certain mortgage interest payments from income tax (IRS).

In a separate development, Bloco de Esquerda deputy Fabian Figueiredo has filed a formal complaint with the President of the Assembly of the Republic, José Pedro Aguiar-Branco. Figueiredo alleges that André Ventura published images of him taken within parliamentary facilities without his consent. The complaint also addresses comments made by Chega deputy Marcus Santos, which Figueiredo characterizes as an apology for violence following a police intervention at a housing protest in Lisbon.