Tavares alleges that Chega has turned AR into a notorious terrain with a poor and damaged public image.

Rewritten Article:

In a candid chat at Teatro O Bando, Rui Tavares, a political heavyweight affiliated with the Green party, didn't pull any punches while discussing a controversial new force shaking up Portugal's political landscape. He didn't name them, but it was clear he was referring to the extreme-right Chega party and their leader, André Ventura.

"Make no mistake, we're dealing with a malicious force that's deliberately trying to twist the role of parliament into a den of insults, offenses, and disorder," said Tavares, drawing parallels to a football match he once witnessed, where an extreme-right parliamentarian was wrongly accused of belonging outside Parliament's premises.

Rui Tavares is convinced that the erosion of parliament's role often signals the beginning of the end for democracies. He stands firm: "This deliberate undermining of Parliament is neither accidental nor harmless. It paves the way for a host of negatives because, once we lose the forum for civilized debate, authoritarian ideas will only grow stronger."

Accusing the extreme-right, Tavares warned that a Parliament where differences are resolved through collaboration is better than a dictatorship that imposes its will upon everyone else. He added, "When you see those posters boasting about 50 years of corruption, don't view them as threats or denunciations. Instead, see them as promises."

He was referring to Chega posters plastered across the country, depicting Prime Minister Luís Montenegro and former socialist Prime Minister José Sócrates, tagged with the ominous slogan, "50 years of corruption. It's time to say Chega." Tavares predicts that, under Chega's rule, Portugal would look much like it did during those 50 years.

He echoed, "Admittedly, they may not yet hold the reins of power, but they've held 50 seats in Parliament for a year, and what we've witnessed so far gives us a glimpse into what might come."

Fearing the potential impact of Chega, Tavares emphasized the need for a "more responsible, original, and genuine parliament where solutions are sought."

To provide some context, Rui Tavares' words paint a grim picture of Chega's rise, which he views as the end of Portugal's historical "Iberian exception" to far-right representation in parliament. Tavares believes that Chega's arrival stems partly from a collective forgetfulness of the Salazar dictatorship[4]. He also points out structural limitations: Chega and potential allies lack the two-thirds parliamentary majority required for constitutional changes, preventing Orbán-style overhauls in Portugal's governance framework[4].

Tavares is especially concerned about center-right parties attempting to co-opt Chega's rhetoric, fearing this strategy might legitimize far-right agendas rather than curb their influence[4]. He underscores the importance of documenting democratic backsliding and maintaining institutional checks, drawing lessons from other European contexts where far-right parties have tested rule-of-law boundaries[4].

Rui Tavares, the Green party's political heavyweight, has warned about the rise of the Chega party in Portugal's political landscape, characterizing them as a malicious force that could undermine the role of parliament.
Tavares drew parallels between the behaviors of extreme-right parliamentarians and a football match, stating that the Chega party is deliberately trying to transform the parliament into a chaotic, offensive den.
Tavares, concerned about Chega's potential impact, called for a more responsible and genuine parliament that seeks solutions, fearing that Portugal could revert to the 50 years of corruption the party promises to end.
In veiled reference to Chega's posters, Tavares warned against viewing their denunciations as threats, instead urging people to see them as promises of a return to the past.
Tavares believes that Chega's arrival in parliament marks the end of Portugal's historical Iberian exception to far-right representation, highlighting the importance of recording democratic backsliding and maintaining institutional checks to prevent the legitimization of far-right agendas.