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

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.