The reason Trump is in office now is because of a "protest" vote or lack of votes by Democrats who were tired of nothing getting done and look at us now.
The people voting for Chega should be careful what they wish for because its beginning to sound very familiar.
Last year I went to a local school to learn Portuguese via the free government scheme. My class was 18 students, two Americans, two Russians, one Ukrainian, one Turk, one Iraqi and the rest of the class were either Indian, Nepalese and or Bangladeshi. Of the whole class the Turk and the Iragi were in Portugal to get citizenship so they could then apply to move to the US because they said that a Portuguese passport makes that much easier. The rest all wanted to be in Portugal - or said they did. Most of them were either here already with families, or they are wanting to bring their families over. They were all searching for a better life and they were doing a lot of jobs in hospitality that our teacher said, local Portuguese dont want to do. Kitchen porters, kitchen staff, hotel cleaning etc. These are low paid jobs and whilst we all know that Portugal suffers from low wages.... for a lot of these immigrants, the low wages and the job is still far better for them and their lives than what they have left behind in their own countries. And they were very open and honest about this. Sadly - Chega paints these communities in a bad light and as ever, the immigrants are the scapegoats for the countries ills and the political parties whipping boy.
Thank you for your impulse to speak with your Portuguese neighbors and report back. Much of what you discovered is what I have also heard and imagined. And I share the same concerns you articulate as an American who sought a life far from right wing nationalism. Learning the history and culture of my adopted home is a priority for me and I am heartened by your dedication too.
Thanks, Nancy. Your post echoes our concerns as well - and we're a good year behind you in reaching our 5 years. We moved here for the same reasons as you and Denise. At our favorite cafe downtown, the proprietor is constantly railing about the "illegals." On our street there was a property with fruit trees and 3 old, deteriorating houses and one B&B. It's owned by our Venezuelan neighbor and she rents the wrecks to young Africans. I understand they pay astronomical rent to live in a hovel that has running water but no electricity. All of them drive delivery from the crack of dawn until late at night. They are quiet, respectful and helpful as neighbors. It's hard for me to reconcile Andreas' comments about illegals and these guys who live on our street. Sadly, soon the wrecks will be converted to more B&Bs and I don't know where they'll go then.
This is not a new problem. Remember that Portugal was a fascist dictatorship until 1975! Spain was also. The US had a popular Fascist movement in the 1930s until Hitler's Germany declared war. Many celebrities and industrial leaders, like Ford and Lindberg, believed that the solution to the great depression was for the US to become fascist and ally with Hitler. Both of my parents' families were involved in resisting this movement and suffered in WWII, my morther's family during the Nazi occupation of Holland, and my fathers French family was part of the French resistance. My point is that we must educate people around us about the Fascist Chega party and reject racism and anti immigration propaganda.
The rise of Chega in Portugal has been very predictable as we've already seen this play out in several other European countries.
Neo-liberalism is a failed idealogy with no solutions to offer to the unaffordability crisis in modern Europe. The centrist politicians would rather adopt the inflammatory anti-immagration rhetoric and collude with the right in order to keep the left out of power.
The only path forward to avoid slipping into fascism (and to save the climate) is to adopt socialism and reject market based solutions.
I’m very concerned too, and appreciate your talking to people and writing about it. I think you’re spot on about people turning to the right because the left isn’t doing enough to help the working class, and become vulnerable to the same type of propaganda. I thought Portugal would be more protected since the revolution was so recent. Just goes to show how quickly people forget. While normally things here are unbelievably slow, seems like they are trying to push through the immigration agenda before summer recess. Will have to wait and see what happens the next few weeks. It is black and brown people being targeted, but will also affect all of us. And I have noticed an increase in anti-immigrant sentiment being directed at me (a white American), mostly in regards to my still not being able to speak Portuguese very well- although if they overhear me speaking English they assume I don’t speak it at all. Anyway, yes it feels like going from one frying pan into another. I’m looking into other countries partly because of it, as well as the incompetence of the government. My residency has been expired since September 2024 and despite the new changes ostensibly being implemented, I don’t have high hopes of the renewal situation getting any better.
Regarding the repairs on your street- I’m guessing seven months lol
The politics of Chega are very familiar. They are following the same approach as Trump and Hitler. Find a powerless group and turn the population against them. Use social wedge issues to win votes and then grab power. Magnify problems of inequality instead of finding solutions.
I will be moving to Portugal soon and I am very concerned. I have seen this play out once. I hope the Portuguese are more sensible than many Americans have been.
I was concerned when the Chega supporters marched around VRSA (having gathered under my balcony to sort out flags and placards. I do believe people voted for them as a protest (there is similar reactions in the UK with Reform) but I can only echo the words "Be careful what you wish for". A friend who runs a restaurant has 3 Indians working there because nobody else would do the hours although the pay is good (and they pay their taxes).
I too am concerned about the rise of CHEGA, but did you notice 3 things about the recent immigration/naturalization debate last week? I may have the moving pieces in the wrong order, but it looked like the whole thing fell apart because of CHEGA. The government doesn’t have a majority so it needed a partner to get its legislation passed. Partida Socialista said no to limiting family reunification because it was immoral and against EU policy. CHEGA said it didn’t go far enough and were likely to change their minds several times before the vote. The president of the republic said he would not sign an unconstitutional law. (2 constitutional scholars said it wasn’t constitutional) I believe the final nail was CHEGA reading the names of elementary school children of immigrant families during the debate! Children’s names.
Thank you, Nancy. I appreciate the time, thoroughness, and thoughtfulness you give these topics. I always learn. (on a side note, I had to look up what "chemical castration" meant. Yikes.)
The lack of self-awareness in the majority of humans is incomprehensible. The "them, not us" even when the DNA is almost identical is astonishing. No one ever leaves a country where they feel safe, are able to feed family and have a support structure that their work / labor enables. 8.8 billion people is just too many. I have no answers right now. Just a lot of tears and hugs for those who need them (except nazls, klan members or selfish billionaires).
I've been concerned about the same thing in regards to Chega and the political future of Portugal. Coincidentally, while watching a video last night by Sterling Psychic Medium (I understand it's not for everybody), someone had posed the question about Portugual's politics and specifically brought up Chega. Sterling replied that he sees Portugal remaining a democratic state, but that the people will continue to have to fight for it.
The reason Trump is in office now is because of a "protest" vote or lack of votes by Democrats who were tired of nothing getting done and look at us now.
The people voting for Chega should be careful what they wish for because its beginning to sound very familiar.
Last year I went to a local school to learn Portuguese via the free government scheme. My class was 18 students, two Americans, two Russians, one Ukrainian, one Turk, one Iraqi and the rest of the class were either Indian, Nepalese and or Bangladeshi. Of the whole class the Turk and the Iragi were in Portugal to get citizenship so they could then apply to move to the US because they said that a Portuguese passport makes that much easier. The rest all wanted to be in Portugal - or said they did. Most of them were either here already with families, or they are wanting to bring their families over. They were all searching for a better life and they were doing a lot of jobs in hospitality that our teacher said, local Portuguese dont want to do. Kitchen porters, kitchen staff, hotel cleaning etc. These are low paid jobs and whilst we all know that Portugal suffers from low wages.... for a lot of these immigrants, the low wages and the job is still far better for them and their lives than what they have left behind in their own countries. And they were very open and honest about this. Sadly - Chega paints these communities in a bad light and as ever, the immigrants are the scapegoats for the countries ills and the political parties whipping boy.
Thank you for your impulse to speak with your Portuguese neighbors and report back. Much of what you discovered is what I have also heard and imagined. And I share the same concerns you articulate as an American who sought a life far from right wing nationalism. Learning the history and culture of my adopted home is a priority for me and I am heartened by your dedication too.
Thanks, Nancy. Your post echoes our concerns as well - and we're a good year behind you in reaching our 5 years. We moved here for the same reasons as you and Denise. At our favorite cafe downtown, the proprietor is constantly railing about the "illegals." On our street there was a property with fruit trees and 3 old, deteriorating houses and one B&B. It's owned by our Venezuelan neighbor and she rents the wrecks to young Africans. I understand they pay astronomical rent to live in a hovel that has running water but no electricity. All of them drive delivery from the crack of dawn until late at night. They are quiet, respectful and helpful as neighbors. It's hard for me to reconcile Andreas' comments about illegals and these guys who live on our street. Sadly, soon the wrecks will be converted to more B&Bs and I don't know where they'll go then.
This is not a new problem. Remember that Portugal was a fascist dictatorship until 1975! Spain was also. The US had a popular Fascist movement in the 1930s until Hitler's Germany declared war. Many celebrities and industrial leaders, like Ford and Lindberg, believed that the solution to the great depression was for the US to become fascist and ally with Hitler. Both of my parents' families were involved in resisting this movement and suffered in WWII, my morther's family during the Nazi occupation of Holland, and my fathers French family was part of the French resistance. My point is that we must educate people around us about the Fascist Chega party and reject racism and anti immigration propaganda.
The rise of Chega in Portugal has been very predictable as we've already seen this play out in several other European countries.
Neo-liberalism is a failed idealogy with no solutions to offer to the unaffordability crisis in modern Europe. The centrist politicians would rather adopt the inflammatory anti-immagration rhetoric and collude with the right in order to keep the left out of power.
The only path forward to avoid slipping into fascism (and to save the climate) is to adopt socialism and reject market based solutions.
I’m very concerned too, and appreciate your talking to people and writing about it. I think you’re spot on about people turning to the right because the left isn’t doing enough to help the working class, and become vulnerable to the same type of propaganda. I thought Portugal would be more protected since the revolution was so recent. Just goes to show how quickly people forget. While normally things here are unbelievably slow, seems like they are trying to push through the immigration agenda before summer recess. Will have to wait and see what happens the next few weeks. It is black and brown people being targeted, but will also affect all of us. And I have noticed an increase in anti-immigrant sentiment being directed at me (a white American), mostly in regards to my still not being able to speak Portuguese very well- although if they overhear me speaking English they assume I don’t speak it at all. Anyway, yes it feels like going from one frying pan into another. I’m looking into other countries partly because of it, as well as the incompetence of the government. My residency has been expired since September 2024 and despite the new changes ostensibly being implemented, I don’t have high hopes of the renewal situation getting any better.
Regarding the repairs on your street- I’m guessing seven months lol
The politics of Chega are very familiar. They are following the same approach as Trump and Hitler. Find a powerless group and turn the population against them. Use social wedge issues to win votes and then grab power. Magnify problems of inequality instead of finding solutions.
I will be moving to Portugal soon and I am very concerned. I have seen this play out once. I hope the Portuguese are more sensible than many Americans have been.
I was concerned when the Chega supporters marched around VRSA (having gathered under my balcony to sort out flags and placards. I do believe people voted for them as a protest (there is similar reactions in the UK with Reform) but I can only echo the words "Be careful what you wish for". A friend who runs a restaurant has 3 Indians working there because nobody else would do the hours although the pay is good (and they pay their taxes).
I too am concerned about the rise of CHEGA, but did you notice 3 things about the recent immigration/naturalization debate last week? I may have the moving pieces in the wrong order, but it looked like the whole thing fell apart because of CHEGA. The government doesn’t have a majority so it needed a partner to get its legislation passed. Partida Socialista said no to limiting family reunification because it was immoral and against EU policy. CHEGA said it didn’t go far enough and were likely to change their minds several times before the vote. The president of the republic said he would not sign an unconstitutional law. (2 constitutional scholars said it wasn’t constitutional) I believe the final nail was CHEGA reading the names of elementary school children of immigrant families during the debate! Children’s names.
I always appreciate reading your articles, Nancy. I, too, have been told, it’s not me.
Thank you, Nancy. I appreciate the time, thoroughness, and thoughtfulness you give these topics. I always learn. (on a side note, I had to look up what "chemical castration" meant. Yikes.)
The lack of self-awareness in the majority of humans is incomprehensible. The "them, not us" even when the DNA is almost identical is astonishing. No one ever leaves a country where they feel safe, are able to feed family and have a support structure that their work / labor enables. 8.8 billion people is just too many. I have no answers right now. Just a lot of tears and hugs for those who need them (except nazls, klan members or selfish billionaires).
I've been concerned about the same thing in regards to Chega and the political future of Portugal. Coincidentally, while watching a video last night by Sterling Psychic Medium (I understand it's not for everybody), someone had posed the question about Portugual's politics and specifically brought up Chega. Sterling replied that he sees Portugal remaining a democratic state, but that the people will continue to have to fight for it.
Had to look up Sterling Psychic Medium...
"self-sufficient immigrants" ~ I like this term. I consider myself one and may borrow it from you to explain myself to my neighbors ☺️
Thanks for keeping the topic alive. It feels like that’s all we can do for now. And vote, of course, if you have a vote.