Lisbon is hosting a meeting of parties from the far-right European group Identity and Democracy (ID), including Marine Le Pen of the National Union (former Front National, France).
This is not the first time that the far-right leader has joined Chega or taken action to support the party. In 2021, he told DN (when he came to Portugal to support the presidential candidacy of André Ventura) that the president of Chega – and at the time the only deputy – was someone with “the ability to unite the Portuguese people”, someone “courageous” .
The meeting has been taking place in the Portuguese capital since Thursday, in the aftermath of the elections in the Netherlands, which gave victory to Geert Wilders, of the Partido Pela Liberdade (of ID). On the social network X (formerly Twitter), André Ventura congratulated Wilders on his victory. In a release, the Chega leader said that the victory of the Partido Pela Liberdade is “the last sign” of change in Europe, and that “the next will be Portugal.”
Our friend Geert Wilders has just won the elections in the Netherlands. It’s the final sign: next is Portugal! pic.twitter.com/1gdlootL3E
– André Ventura (@AndreCVentura) November 22, 2023
On the same social network, the ID said that the meeting (which started on Thursday and ends on Friday) will take place under the theme “Towards a Europe of cooperation”.
In addition to Marine Le Pen (former leader of the National Union), other leaders from this party family will be present in Lisbon, such as Timo Chrupalla (co-chair of the Alternative for Germany). Gerolf Annemans, chairman of ID and member of the Vlaams Belang (the Flemish nationalist party in Belgium), is also present.
In March this year, Chega had already expressed interest in holding a ‘major event’ with radical right leaders, such as Jair Bolsonaro (former Brazilian president) and Donald Trump (former US president), who were invited. At that time, André Ventura, leader of Chega, also announced that he had invited Santiago Abascal, of the Spanish party Vox, and Italian Prime Minister Giorgia Meloni.
The meeting now taking place started yesterday with a closed-door dinner attended by Thibaut François (leader of the National Union and member of the French Parliament) and MEP Susanna Ceccardi (elected by the Italian League party, led by Matteo Salvini) and Maximilian Krah (alternative for Germany).
A joint press conference by Ventura, Le Pen and Tino Chrupalla is scheduled for 1:30 PM this Friday at the Assembly of the Republic. The statements were initially planned for Passos Perdidos, but the parliamentary services did not authorize them, and therefore this meeting with the media was transferred to the Chega parliamentary faction room.
At 7 p.m., a public meeting of Identity and Democracy will begin in Convento do Beato, attended by the leaders of the far-right parties from Estonia and the Czech Republic. Also present will be members of Austrian parties and the aforementioned Gerold Annemans, of the Flemish nationalist party, and Marine Le Pen, of the French National Union.
In addition to André Ventura, deputy Rita Matias will also be present for Chega.
Source: DN
