The latest electoral results reported on May 19, 2025, reveal a significant political shift in Portugal, with the Chega party achieving its best election result to date by securing 58 seats in Parliament, tying with the Socialist Party despite receiving slightly fewer overall votes.

The Socialist Party garnered 23.38% of the vote, approximately 1.39 million votes, while Chega received 22.56%, about 1.34 million votes, with a narrow margin of fewer than 50,000 votes separating the two parties.

In addition to Chega's success, the Iniciativa Liberal party increased its seats to nine, while the Livre party celebrated a victory on the left, securing six deputies, surpassing both the Communist Party and the Left Bloc.

The Alliance Democratic coalition increased its representation to 89 deputies, capturing 32.1% of the votes, but still lacks an outright majority to form a government.

Chega's rise in popularity has been meteoric, increasing from just 1.35% of the votes in the 2019 elections to a significant 22.56% in the recent elections.

Both Chega and the Socialist Party now hold 58 deputies each, but the final tally for Chega may increase as votes from the diaspora, accounting for four mandates, are yet to be counted on May 28, 2025.

Chega's leader, André Ventura, declared victory upon the release of exit polls, emphasizing that while the results are a significant win, the ultimate goal remains to secure leadership in the government.

Ventura asserted that Chega has effectively ended bipartisanship in Portugal, positioning the party as a viable alternative for governance.

The party's rise reflects a notable shift in the Portuguese political landscape, as Chega made significant gains in traditionally left-wing areas, indicating a growing support for right-wing policies among voters.

Luis Montenegro of the AD will face challenges in forming a government, particularly as Pedro Nuno Santos of the Socialist Party has ruled out cooperation with the AD.

The Socialist Party is currently facing a historic crisis, with internal calls for reflection and leadership change amid concerns over the party's stability.

The election results also saw the Communist Party lose one seat, totaling three, while the Left Bloc achieved its lowest electoral result since 1999, electing only one deputy.