The campaign posters of the presidential candidate supported by Chega, displaying statements like “This is not Bangladesh” and “Gypsies must obey the law,” have incited condemnation from other contenders for the presidency. Luis Marques Mendes criticized them as racist and provocative, while Gouveia e Melo accused Ventura of embarking on a “spree of xenophobia and racism” reminiscent of the Hitler regime.
António José Seguro described the messages on Chega’s leader’s posters, called “xenophobic” by Catarina Martins, as unacceptable, claiming they oppose constitutional values. António Filipe asserted that these posters disgrace the nation.
Complaints were filed with the Public Prosecutor’s Office, prompting an investigation.
Expressing concerns about a political persecution, Chega’s leader worried about potential implications if he were ordered to remove the billboards, emphasizing the importance of preserving freedom of expression.
Ventura’s posters and the approval of the Nationality Law—alongside the PS’s subsequent request for preventive oversight by the Constitutional Court—have made immigration a pivotal issue in the campaign, alongside health, which is repeatedly highlighted as a principal national concern.
A day after Seguro declared that saving the National Health Service would be “the priority of priorities” if elected on January 18, current President Marcelo Rebelo de Sousa proposed a political agreement regarding the SNS’s role, receiving a positive response from Marques Mendes and Gouveia e Melo, though Catarina Martins accused the sitting President of absolving the government of responsibility.
In response to the potential strike by task doctors, Ventura challenged Marques Mendes, Gouveia e Melo, and Seguro to a debate centered on health—a proposal rejected by the others as “politicking,” in the words of the PSD-backed candidate.
Recently, labor law reform and the subsequent call for a general strike on December 11 have also surfaced in the campaign, with contenders for Belém divided between urging dialogue between unions and the government—endorsed by Marques Mendes and Seguro—and opposition to the government’s proposed package among leftist candidates.
Campaign tensions have been fueled by exchanges of accusations among candidates, notably regarding their association or dissociation from the political system and conflicts among left-wing candidates.
“Who starts a presidential candidacy claiming to be an outsider and ends up aligned with the Socialist Party and the Left Bloc, who zigzags and oscillates—it’s not me. It’s Admiral Gouveia Melo,” accused Chega’s leader, identifying the former Chief of Naval Staff, whose poll standings have dipped recently, as his primary adversary.
Party support has been a significant strategic tool among candidates. The former social-democratic president argued that “parties are not lepers,” expressing pride in his political past and noting that while others “swerve” left and right, he remains “in the same place.”
Though Marques Mendes embraces PSD backing and endorsements from prominent figures such as José Manuel Durão Barroso, Seguro proceeded cautiously with PS support, emphasizing his campaign’s “suprapartisan” nature.
After refusing to position himself on the left, the former Socialist secretary-general attended the launch of the book “November 25th—Memories of an April Captain,” by Vasco Lourenço, a key voice advocating for the withdrawal of former Left Bloc coordinator Catarina Martins and PCP-backed candidate António Filipe.
These candidates, along with Jorge Pinto, announced as the Livre-backed contender on November 1, have firmly rejected the prospect of withdrawing in favor of Seguro.
The increasing number of left-wing candidates is likely to split the electoral base, a scenario expected to occur on the right as well, where Cotrim Figueiredo stands, having disclosed receiving “hints and contacts” from three unspecified campaigns suggesting that his entry was “inopportune.”
The Liberal Initiative-backed candidate aims to progress to the second round, a goal shared by André Ventura, who holds second place in many polls and has sparked several controversies in the campaign, including comments invoking Salazar.
“The country is so rotten with corruption, impunity, and banditry that it would take three Salazars to set it right,” stated the Chega leader, causing backlash from other presidential candidates.
“This man respects nothing and no one […]. In short: this man will not and cannot be President of the Republic,” summarized Marques Mendes, with Gouveia e Melo urging Ventura “to engage in the democratic process.”
Nonetheless, these two candidates have also been embroiled in controversy recently.
“Admiral Gouveia Melo tends to either speak nonsense, contradict himself, or provoke hasty actions and controversies,” claimed Luis Marques Mendes, opining these traits are unsuitable for someone aspiring to the presidency.
Responding, the former Chief of Naval Staff called for “more elevated rhetoric,” opting out of “this small war” of accusations, arguing that “it may interest broadcasters,” but not the Portuguese public.
The presidential elections are scheduled for January 18. Officially declaring their candidacies are António Filipe (supported by the PCP), António José Seguro (backed by the PS), André Ventura (supported by Chega), Catarina Martins (endorsed by BE), Henrique Gouveia e Melo, João Cotrim Figueiredo (backed by the Liberal Initiative), Jorge Pinto (supported by Livre), and Luís Marques Mendes (backed by the PSD).
According to the Interior Ministry’s candidacy portal, there are also an additional 31 individuals collecting signatures for a potential presidential run.
