Liberal Party's Growth Blocked by AD and Chega in Portugal's Political Shake-Up

Rui Rocha's election as a deputy at 21:45 in Braga sparked a brief moment of excitement at the Palácio de Xabregas in Lisbon, the stage for the Liberal Initiative's (IL) election night. However, the enthusiasm quickly faded as supporters returned to their drinks, showing little excitement. Similar short-lived reactions followed the elections of Carlos Pinto, Mariana Leitão, Rodrigo Saraiva, Miguel Rangel, Mário Lopes, Angélique da Teresa, and Joana Cordeiro. It wasn't until the election of Jorge Teixeira, the ninth deputy and fourth from Lisbon (recovering a mandate lost in 2024), and Rui Rocha's final speech that something close to collective euphoria was generated.

The IL emerged from Sunday slightly better than it entered, marginally increasing its vote count, a trend maintained since 2022. The party elected nine deputies, one more than the eight achieved in each of the last two legislatures (2022 and 2024). However, a more significant growth was clearly blocked by the rise of AD and Chega. The party elected deputies in Aveiro, Braga, Setúbal, Lisbon (four), and Porto (two).