A new contender just broke through. The political party Chega pulled off a surprising victory this past Sunday. They secured their very first municipal council, taking control of São Vicente in Madeira. This win marks a notable shift, according to the provisional figures from the Ministry of Internal Administration (MAI).
Chega didn’t just win; they did it decisively. The official data from the MAI shows them with 49.23% of the votes. This impressive showing earned them three mandates, or seats, on the council. They effectively wrestled control from the PSD/CDS-PP coalition, who previously held the council. That coalition ended up in second place, gathering 38.93% of the votes and two mandates.
Other groups in the race found themselves far behind. The PS party finished third, capturing 8.35% of the vote. However, this wasn’t enough to secure any mandates. The CDU, a coalition of the PCP and PEV parties, came in fourth. They managed only 1.1% of the votes, also failing to win any seats.
What makes this victory even more remarkable is Chega’s journey to this point. They weren’t even on the ballot in São Vicente during the last municipal elections held in 2021. To go from not competing to winning the top spot in just a few years is quite a feat.