In the closing speech of the 5th Convention of Chega, the re-elected leader of the party assured: “We are going to make this party the largest party in Portugal”.
André Ventura, who was elected almost unanimously, assured that it is not a “one-man party” and that only with the strength of all it has been possible to “scare the two biggest parties”. As for Chega, he guaranteed “more united than ever”, with “maturity” and “huge ambition to transform Portugal”. Which, he said, is measured “by the electoral challenges” we already faced and pointed to this year’s election in Madeira.
Against “the growing illegal emigration” and the “destruction of the European family”, Ventura promises to do everything to denounce the “mess” in which the European project has become. “We will achieve the best result in our history,” he promises, looking at the 2024 European elections.
He then spoke to the electorate he wants to reach, some even far removed from current events, such as the thousands of former returnees from former colonies. But also to “those who wear the uniform”. “We will be the voice of those who have no voice in parliament,” he assured.
In a “country mired in corruption scandals”, Ventura reaffirmed that this will be the party’s “main battle”. Waving the struggle of teachers and health workers, the leader of Chega attacked the “system”. That of the “privileged political class that demanded all support and judicial protection for itself, but did not want to give its own the same. The PCP has never paid a penny from IMI in its life. It is this hypocrisy that kills the Portuguese political system”.
In Santarém, André Ventura again attacked those who say there is a “red line” that does not allow understanding, such as Chega – such as the new leader of the Liberal Initiative, Rui Rocha. “Only the people can draw red lines. We obey only one entity – that is the Portuguese people”.
And he appeals to “those who have stopped voting” to listen to “this transformative voice” of Chega. “As we are more attacked, more trampled and called xenophobic and fascist, we become stronger in this force. Country by country, street by street, we will become the government of Portugal,” he guaranteed. “António Costa is already at the end,” he shouted.
The national board was elected with 91.9%, i.e. with the highest number of votes ever. He chose António Tânger Correa as number two; Pedro Frazao and Marta Trindade. For delegates Pedro Pinto; Rui Paulo Sousa; Diogo Pacheco Amorim; Patricia Carvalho; Ricardo Regalla and Rita Matias.
European extreme right
Before the conclusion, the leaders of the European extreme right invited to the convention spoke. MEP Jordan Bardella, who succeeded Marine Le Pen as leader of the French National Union, Tino Chrupalla of Alternative for Germany (AfD), Geert Wilders of the Freedom Party (PVV) of the Netherlands, Tom Van Grieken, of Vlaams Belang (VB), from the Belgian region of Flanders, and Boris Kollar, of the Slovak movement Sme Rodina (We are Family). And Rocío Monasterio, leader of Vox in Madrid, and Cláudiu Tarziu, of the Alliance for the Union of Romanians (AUR).
Among the guests, Spain’s Rocío Monasterio was the first to speak, expressing her conviction that “a new horizon is at hand in which patriots will have much to say”. And he tried to unite Vox with Chega: “They made propaganda against us, but it was snake oil”.
Tino Chrupalla appealed to the need for “a secure Europe” which “needs peace and a sovereign position in the world”. The AfD president speaks of the need for “a secure Europe”, which “needs peace and a sovereign position in the world”. Cláudiu Tarziu has already said that “the European Union must stop interfering in the wars of other peoples and concentrate on protecting its Member States”.
Jordan Bardella congratulated André Ventura for “turning the desperation of the people into a respectable political movement in such a short time”, creating “a party that aroused admiration throughout Europe”. And Tom van Grieken recalled that Portugal is “one of the few countries dominated by communists and socialists”, but underlined that “the impressive results [do Chega] prove that the days of the left are coming to an end”.
Geert Wilders went even further when he prophesied: “Next time you are here, promise me that not only will you be the largest party, but André Ventura will be prime minister”.
Source: DN
