Xenophobic Chega hopes to take place in the EU parliament

For the vast majority in Portugal is André Ventura known as fotbollskommentatorn who constantly defends Benfica, the country's biggest club. He has written the book ”50 ways to change the Benfica” together with spådamen Maya and he set two years ago in the municipal elections for party PSD. A statement on the Portuguese roma made him rikskänd. ”They live almost exclusively at the state's expense, and put themselves above the rule of law,” he said. A few months later, he left the PSD and two months ago he started his own party Chega (enough).

" I chose the name for it is a scream. Now that's enough! We can't go on with the political establishment.

he is trying to attract voters to the parliamentary elections in the EU on 26 may. The party has started groups on social media in 90 of Portugal's 308 municipalities.

– We aim to take at least one seat in the EU elections, " says André Ventura.

André Ventura, leader of the party Chega. Photo: Ana Brigida

He points out right-wing nationalist party Vox in Spain as a role model and says he'll meet with the party's leader, Santiago Abascal as soon as possible. Vox surprised in the Spanish election in april and received ten per cent of the votes. André Ventura hopes that his new party will get six per cent in the EUROPEAN elections.

" We have a lot in common with the Vox and much to learn from each other.

the Legacy of the fascist dictators Francisco Franco of Spain and António Salazar in Portugal was long considered to make the iberian peninsula, immune to the right-wing populist wave that washes over Europe. In particular, in Portugal who had the longest dictatorship in Europe. Ever since 1926, and ruled the country by an authoritarian regime with strong political repression, isolation, and limited schooling in the country. In the beginning of the 70s, Portugal was one of Europe's most disadvantaged countries, with the highest number of illiterate people and the lowest income in Western europe. Only after Nejlikerevolutionen 1974 it was Portugal once again democratic. Yet the 36-year-old André Ventura critical of how it was after the revolution.

– the Story from the Nejlikerevolutionen was written by the winners. No one has been allowed to have their opinion, " he says.

in Western europe, 6.300 dollars a month, almost a third of the minimum wage in France which is of 16,000 dollars a month. The low wages have made that Portugal has not become a popular destination for economic migrants. To the far right can't lay the blame for the country's problems on migrants means that they had to look elsewhere. Chegas followers focus on the roma, who are a minority in Portugal for several hundred years. Roma is still called ”gypsies” in Portugal, and painted out of Chega as a group of criminals. The party wants to introduce video surveillance in neighborhoods with a lot of roma, and believes that Portugal is tolerant to the community.

António Costa Pinto is Portugal's foremost political scientist and believe that Chegas leader André Ventura is desperate in its way to re-use högerpopulismens recipe for success in the rest of Europe.

" He's talking about migration, but Portugal has not much migration. The we have comes from the former Portuguese colonies. Most are catholic and speak Portuguese.

André Ventura talking also about an increase in crime, but Portugal has, in addition to Iceland, the lowest mordstatistiken in Europe.

the political scientist believes that the Chega also facing another problem.

– Many of those who like Chegas ideas are slow-coaches. They usually are rarely go and vote.

appreciate that, Chega as most will get three per cent in the EUROPEAN elections. To take one of Portugal's 21 seats in the EUROPEAN parliament need Chega to get at least four per cent of the votes.