Portugal’s Chega leader critiques Trump’s record while courting Germany’s AfD

André Ventura, the leader of Portugal’s right-wing populist party Chega, has offered a candid assessment of Donald Trump, noting that the U.S. leader made "a lot of mistakes." Speaking in an interview with POLITICO, Ventura reflected on the broader posture of the national right while discussing ongoing efforts to strengthen working ties with European counterparts, including Germany’s Alternative for Germany (AfD).

For populist and sovereignist parties across Europe, ideological solidarity across borders frequently collides with national electoral realities. Publicly acknowledging foreign missteps allows national party leaders to position themselves as independent operators rather than junior partners in an imported political movement. At the same time, Ventura's focus on building bridges with Germany’s AfD highlights the continuing effort by right-wing national parties to forge structured cooperation across EU member states.

Building a coherent political family in the European Parliament often resembles managing a coalition of deliberate individualists. Party leaders must regularly attempt the delicate balance of courting allies in other capitals to build legislative clout while keeping enough distance from controversial foreign icons to protect their brand at home. Ventura’s simultaneous critique of Trump and pursuit of German partners illustrates the pragmatic maneuvering required inside the EU political ecosystem, where forming stable parliamentary groupings requires common ground without total ideological conformity.

Discussions between Chega and Germany's AfD will feed into the broader ongoing reorganization of national conservative and right-wing forces across Europe. Future parliamentary sessions and party gatherings will test whether these cross-border dialogues translate into formal working alliances inside European institutions.