Leader of radical right party Chega casts his ballot in Portugal election

(18 Jan 2026)
RESTRICTION SUMMARY:

ASSOCIATED PRESS
Lisbon, Portugal - 18 January 2026
1. Various of André Ventura, leader of radical right party Chega, waiting in line to cast his ballot
2. Ventura approaching voting desk
3. Continuous shot of Ventura casting ballot
4. Pan left of Ventura speaking with reporters
5. Close of camera
6. SOUNDBITE (Portuguese) André Ventura, leader of radical right party Chega:
“I have just voted. Today is a very particular day of election, an important day, a day when choice is in our hands. What I can say today as a candidate is to appeal for people to vote, no matter to who, the most important thing is to get out of the house and vote. We cannot spend the whole year complaining about things, or the whole decade, and then stay on the couch on the day we are called upon to decide. We need to make choices for the country and today no matter which way the choice is, the most important thing is to vote, democracy wins when we decide to vote, to participate.”
7. Mid of people entering polling station
8. Various of Ventura leaving
9. Close of camera
STORYLINE:
Leader of radical right party Chega, André Ventura, cast his ballot on Sunday as a record 11 candidates stand in Portugal’s presidential election.

He encouraged people to get out of the house and vote.

“We cannot spend the whole year complaining about things, or the whole decade, and then stay on the couch on the day we are called upon to decide,” he said to the media.

"We need to make choices for the country and today no matter which way the choice is, the most important thing is to vote, democracy wins when we decide to vote, to participate."

Chega’s surge in public support made it the second-largest party in Portugal’s parliament last year, just six years after it was founded.

One of Ventura’s main targets has been what he calls excessive immigration, as foreign workers have become more conspicuous in Portugal in recent years.

During the election campaign, Ventura put up billboards across the country saying, “This isn’t Bangladesh” and “Immigrants shouldn’t be allowed to live on welfare.”

Such blatant anti-immigrant sentiment expressed in public was unthinkable in Portugal just a few years ago.

Other leading candidates are from the country’s two main parties that have alternated in power for the past half-century: Luís Marques Mendes from the center-right Social Democratic Party, currently in government, and António José Seguro of the center-left Socialist Party.

A strong challenge is expected from retired Rear Adm. Henrique Gouveia e Melo, who is running as an independent and won public acclaim for overseeing the speedy rollout of COVID-19 vaccines during the pandemic.

Almost 11 million people are eligible to vote in the election, with most results expected late in the day.

The winner will replace President Marcelo Rebelo de Sousa, who has served the limit of two five-year terms.

Polls opened at 8 a.m. on a mostly sunny day across the country and were due to close 12 hours later.

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