In an unprecedented move, Portugal's center-right PSD party has endorsed left-wing candidate António Costa to prevent far-right leader André Ventura from reaching the presidency, a decision that reflects growing alarm across Europe about far-right electoral advances.
The announcement, reported by Politico Europe, represents a breakdown of traditional partisan boundaries. Portuguese conservatives have calculated that the threat posed by Ventura's Chega party outweighs their ideological differences with the left.
Ventura has emerged as one of Europe's most prominent far-right figures, building support through anti-immigration rhetoric, criticism of Portuguese political elites, and populist appeals. His party's rapid growth from political irrelevance to a major force has alarmed establishment politicians across the spectrum.
To understand today's headlines, we must look at yesterday's decisions. This cordon sanitaire strategy, preventing far-right parties from accessing power through mainstream party cooperation, has been tested across Europe with mixed results. In France, traditional parties have coordinated to block the National Rally, while in Italy and Sweden, such barriers have collapsed.
Portugal's decision comes at a moment when far-right movements face their own crises of legitimacy. In France, Marine Le Pen faces prosecution that could bar her from office. In Germany, the AfD confronts legal challenges and internal divisions. The question across Europe is whether these setbacks represent temporary difficulties or a fundamental turning point.
The Portuguese conservatives' gamble carries significant risks. By endorsing a left-wing candidate, the PSD may alienate portions of its own base who see Costa as ideologically unacceptable. Ventura can credibly claim that the political establishment is united against him, potentially strengthening his populist narrative.
Yet Portuguese political leaders appear to have concluded that such risks pale beside the prospect of a far-right presidency. Portugal has largely avoided the far-right surges seen elsewhere in Europe, maintaining relatively moderate politics since its transition from dictatorship in 1974.
The presidential election will test whether mainstream coordination can still contain far-right advances. If successful, the Portuguese model may be replicated elsewhere. If Ventura prevails despite the united opposition, it would suggest that traditional political barriers have lost their effectiveness.
European observers are watching closely. The question is no longer whether far-right parties can win significant support, that question has been answered affirmatively across the continent, but whether democratic norms and institutional cooperation can prevent such movements from capturing executive power.
