Shattering the Duopoly: The 2025 Portuguese Elections and the Rise of the Radical Right

Abstract

The 2025 Portuguese legislative elections consolidated a fundamental change in the country’s party system. Triggered by a high-profile political scandal, the election returned the center-right AD to government. However, it also propelled the radical right Chega to second place in parliament, overtaking the center-left Socialist Party and effectively ending Portugal’s historically duopolistic political landscape. This research note analyzes the electoral campaign dynamics, competing policy agendas, and voter realignments that shaped the electoral outcome.

Keywords

• Elections
• electoral campaign
• government formation
• party system
• radical right
• Portugal