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EU Observer (16 January 2026)

Hannah Kriwak

"Gypsies must obey the law," said one of the banners of Portugal's far-right presidential candidate André Ventura, from the Chega party, in his current election campaign. 

It is a message that critics say exemplifies the rising anti-Roma sentiment sweeping across Europe ahead of a critical election year.

As Portuguese voters head to the polls on Sunday (18 January) in what is expected to be a tight race, Ventura's openly discriminatory rhetoric toward Roma has attracted international attention and raised alarm about the normalisation of hatred toward Europe's largest ethnic minority.

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