Ventura's presidential candidacy has broken down. It's halfway through.

André Ventura's decision to make himself available for a presidential election was met with disapproval by Chega's national advisors on Friday night. Those present say that never in the party's history has there been such division over a leader's decision.

For a slight majority, a leader's candidacy is the only way for Chega to continue to dominate the media agenda during the months-long campaign, which will increase in intensity from the presentation of the State Budget and the local elections until the date of the vote to choose Marcelo Rebelo de Sousa's successor, on January 18th.

Conversely, the Aximage poll that placed Chega in first place for the first time in a study of voting intentions for the AR was one of the arguments of critics of André Ventura's candidacy, who consider that André Ventura has the profile of Prime Minister and not President of the Republic, and therefore should not enter the race for Belém. But soon there were those who mentioned that the poll could be 'a trap' to advise Ventura against going to the game.

In an interview with Nascer do SOL, the Chega leader revealed that he would consult the National Council before making a decision and that the party could "aspire to nothing less than a runoff," revealing that the candidate would have to have "the potential to do so." And all his statements revealed his intention to run, requiring only a prior hearing from his national advisors.

"Like it or not, the country's second-largest party and leader of the Opposition cannot leave empty seats or vacancies, cannot remain silent about a candidacy like the one that will represent the elections on January 18th. Chega cannot, does not have the right, and should not look the other way, ignore its members, its supporters, and not give them a voice in these elections," said André Ventura when justifying his candidacy. Ventura also argued that he never considered "personal risk," but rather what the party wanted to achieve "and the importance of the country that exists today, of a political space led by an anti-establishment culture, a system that is this system of collusion, of woke culture, and of the cultural dominance of foreignness and tolerated immigration" created in recent years.

Agitation on the Left The Chega leader's advance has stirred things up, especially on the Left, with the Socialists calling for unity around a single candidate, otherwise the second round of the presidential elections could be contested by two right-wing candidates.

Just this week, António José Seguro stated that his candidacy is nonpartisan, not the result of any arrangement, nor a secret lunch. "I saw the news that the Socialist Party has already scheduled its National Committee to discuss the presidential elections, and I repeat what I've always said: that I respect party life and that this is not a partisan candidacy, and therefore, parties have their rights and their own schedules."

The former secretary-general of the Socialist Party (PS) also stated that "this presidential election is a one-person election in which people run for office and bring their entire life stories, their vision, their values, and their principles." He added: "Everything I do is transparent and open. I tell the Portuguese people what I'm here for, and I hope to earn their trust."

In addition to Seguro, the Left is counting on communist candidate António Filipe, who has always maintained that his candidacy "is intended to be seen through to the end." He explained that, in his "more than three decades" as a member of the Assembly of the Republic, he has demonstrated that "it is possible to reconcile the uncompromising defense of one's political positions and the loyal fight against opposing political positions, with a sense of balance and openness to consensus in which all democrats can identify."

More recently, and after Sampaio da Nóvoa ruled out a possible entry into the race, Catarina Martins also announced her candidacy as the Left Bloc's candidate. The current MEP revealed that she decided to announce her candidacy to champion democracy, freedom, equality, common goods, and peace. "I write to you knowing full well how demanding these years have been for all the activists who build the left. Who never let go of the hand of those beside them. We have fought many battles, with so many people. And in all of us, we find ourselves again. I write to you at a time when the presidential election process has already begun, already on the ground, with the usual men. Those who have governed the country for decades and those who try to capitalize on the anguish to do the same or worse," she said in a letter sent to the activists. And the Livre party has not yet decided whether it will run—a possibility that Rui Tavares himself has not ruled out—which could further divide the waters.

Concerned Mendistas

But Ventura's announcement also raised concerns about Luís Marques Mendes's candidacy. Earlier this year, when he presented his candidacy, the former Marques Mendes leader recalled that he served in four governments over nearly 13 years. "Through this career, I've had the opportunity to gain extensive experience. I know the country, local and central government well, and I know the office of President of the Republic," he said at the time, noting that "the office of President of the Republic is an eminently political position," and as such, "it should be held by someone with political experience."

Henrique Gouveia e Melo's camp, however, reacted with restraint. The admiral, in an interview with SIC, was confronted with the fact that he had lunch with André Ventura months ago, which he confirmed and then downplayed. Gouveia e Melo preferred to emphasize the fact that he is a "truly independent" candidate, attacking all the others for being dependent on their parties, particularly Ventura. He added that he does not reject "any vote, whether from the far right or the far left, as long as they are Portuguese votes," although he emphasized that he is centrist and has always voted for the PSD or PS.

Among supporters of the other announced candidate, liberal João Cotrim de Figueiredo, the widespread belief is that André Ventura's candidacy may negatively impact some young voters, but without significant impact. The liberal candidate, on social media, continues to urge voters: "Imagine a real Portugal. Imagine a Portugal where we can fulfill our vision and achieve our dreams. Imagine a modern country, capable of innovation and advancement. Imagine a country where freedom is the foundation of culture, knowledge, and growth."