Portugal's Chega Party Holds District and Regional Elections

Members of the Chega party in Portugal are voting to fill new leadership bodies for twelve district and regional structures. On 28 June 2026, elections were held for eleven district branches—Lisbon, Porto, Viana do Castelo, Vila Real, Aveiro, Guarda, Castelo Branco, Santarém, Setúbal, Portalegre, Faro—and for the regional political commission of Madeira, each for a three‑year term. Elections for the remaining districts of Braga, Bragança, Viseu, Coimbra, Leiria, Évora and Beja are scheduled for 5 July, while the Azores regional organs have not yet been set.

Key contests include incumbent district leaders facing challengers: in Lisbon, deputy Patrícia Almeida versus former municipal candidate Pedro Tomé Aleixo; in Porto, leader Rui Afonso against three rival lists; and in Santarém, incumbent José Dotti against three opponents. Similar battles are unfolding in other districts, with many districts presenting a single list. The party’s leader, André Ventura, recently issued an internal directive prohibiting members who are not on the candidate lists from campaigning or publicly supporting any candidacy, with possible disciplinary consequences for violations. Ventura emphasized party unity and discipline in a recent speech to party members.

These elections determine the internal governance of Chega across Portugal’s mainland districts and the autonomous region of Madeira, shaping the party’s organizational direction ahead of future national elections.