New Portugal gov’t, preparing for power, shuts out populists

LISBON, Portugal (AP) — Portugal’s incoming Socialist government is freezing out a right-wing populist party that surprisingly placed third in a recent general election. Portugal witnessed a surge in support for populists in the Jan. 30 election of a new parliament. That was more than a decade after a similar development in other European Union countries. Before taking office later this month, the incoming government is meeting with all other political parties to discuss future policies. But it made no mention of meeting with representatives of Chega (Enough), which snared 12 seats in the 230-seat parliament, up from just one seat in the previous election, in 2019.