Portugal's Far-Right Chega Party Ordered to Remove Discriminatory Posters Targeting Roma People
A Lisbon court has ordered the far-right Chega party to remove street posters targeting Roma people within 24 hours, warning that failure to comply could result in a daily fine of €2,500 per poster. Judge Ana Barao ruled that the posters discriminate against an ethnic minority and could incite hatred.
The posters are part of Chega leader Andre Ventura's presidential campaign ahead of elections due in January. Chega emerged six years ago and became the second-largest parliamentary faction in May after the ruling centre-right alliance. Ventura described the court case as an attack on freedom of expression but pledged to comply; a Chega spokesperson said a response would follow later.
Roma associations' lawyer stated that the court's decision would make Portugal more just and hailed it as a victory for Roma resistance. Earlier in May, prosecutors opened an investigation into discriminatory remarks made by Ventura toward Roma individuals.
Polls indicate that Ventura is among the frontrunners for the first round of the election on 18 January, though he would lose to any of the three main rivals in a runoff.
