Chega supporters in Albufeira hope party can use Sunday’s local elections as springboard for nationwide takeover
T
he road into Albufeira is thronged with billboards. Some, such as the faded one on a roundabout leading to the centre of the southern Portuguese resort city, offer sun-bleached glimpses of enticing real estate, golden beaches and vibrant nightlife. Others that have sprung up before Sunday’s local elections peddle promises of a different kind.
By far the most numerous are those belonging to the far-right Chega party. Its political posters feature one-line grievances about the state of public health, education and housing and tell passing drivers that all these problems will be solved once Chega is in charge.
There is a good chance that disillusioned Albufeirans – in a city that has voted for the centre-right PSD for more than two decades – will help give Chega a historic night on Sunday. After leapfrogging the socialists to take second place in May’s general election, Chega now hopes to leverage local-level frustrations to gain dozens of municipalities across the country and position itself for the same in the next general election.
