After scapegoating minorities and migrants, the Chega party appears poised to play a prominent role
Evalina Dias: ‘It’s a threat for all people who are non-white in Portugal and it’s a threat for democracy.’Evalina Dias: ‘It’s a threat for all people who are non-white in Portugal and it’s a threat for democracy.’or years, Evalina Dias has diligently worked to combat racism in Portugal.
But the leader of the Socialists, Pedro Nuno Santos, cautioned his party against ignoring the message that had been sent by the more than a million people who voted for Chega. On Sunday, he said: “It is not the case that 18% of Portuguese are racists, but there are many angry Portuguese.” Dias chalked up Chega’s success to the country’s failure to properly address racism. “We don’t talk about it, we don’t discuss it, the Portuguese say: ‘Oh, we are not racist,’” she says.
Despite all this, things had started to improve in recent years: municipalities had begun to include Roma in their policies, education initiatives had been launched and a national strategy for Roma integration was tabled. Chega’s quadrupling of votes was seen “with concern,” says Mahomed Iqbal, who heads the Islamic Community of Lisbon . “They’ve got over a million voters. And that came a little bit as a surprise.”with the two parties that have dominated the country’s politics since its return to democracy. “Some of it – if not quite a lot of it – came from protest voters,” he says.
Though Ventura was not among the visitors from Chega, Iqbal describes it as an opportunity to showcase the community’s pride in being European, Portuguese and Muslim. “By visiting the mosque, they at least had an opportunity to see with their own eyes exactly what it is about, who we are, how we behave.”
United States Latest News, United States Headlines
Similar News:You can also read news stories similar to this one that we have collected from other news sources.
Portugal’s far-right Chega party eyes kingmaker role as country goes to pollsElection triggered by resignation of prime minister António Costa could see scandal-hit Socialist party ousted by rightwing coalition
Read more »
Marcia Langton says Paul Keating was right on the VoiceThe Indigenous leader said the former PM was right about the Voice being “a mistake from the start” and that a legislated body should have been established before a referendum.
Read more »
Female lifestyle influencers are changing the face of the far rightEviane Leidig talks about her research into women of the far right who have become online influencers. Listen to The Conversation Weekly podcast.
Read more »
Unions want right to approach non-members at work in bid to bolster numbersUnion delegates would have the right to approach colleagues to recruit them rather than just represent their interests if an ACTU submission to the Fair Work Commission is adopted.
Read more »
Our favourite luxury homes for sale right nowFrom one of the country’s finest rural mansions to a riverfront estate, we’ve rounded up our pick of the bunch.
Read more »
Balance the right to privacy with stamping out organised crime: NABAttorney-General Mark Dreyfus is this year expected to legislate changes to the decades-old Privacy Act, after a review by his department recommended 116 changes to better protect the personal information of Australians.
Read more »