We live in an era in which politics is done less and less in closed offices and more and more on the screens that we all carry in our pockets. Social networks have become an essential tool for understanding the country, dialoguing with citizens and understanding, in real time, what concerns and moves Portuguese society. Political communication is constantly evolving and anyone who does not recognize this will inevitably become disconnected from people.
Today, social networks are more than an extension of institutional communication: they are a daily source of information, a space for public debate and a platform where any citizen can express their opinion without intermediaries. They democratized the voice, broke down barriers and opened the way to more active, more transparent and more demanding civic participation.
Naturally, this phenomenon has a direct impact on politics. The role of social networks in shaping opinion is undeniable: they influence agendas, amplify causes, discuss solutions and expose contradictions. It is in them that debates are born that, sometimes, do not find space in traditional media. It is there that conversations take place that many would try to silence. It is also where attentive, critical and informed citizens multiply.
Chega was one of the parties that first noticed this transformation. Not by calculation, but because we represent precisely those who, for a long time, did not have a voice in the traditional public space. Social media became the place where thousands of Portuguese people finally felt represented and were able to freely express concerns that were previously ignored or classified as uncomfortable. It was in this space of freedom that many found a political movement that spoke directly to them, without filters and without fear.
The numbers speak for themselves. Chega’s significant results on social media with a continuous growth in followers, interactions and reach are not the result of artificial campaigns: they are a reflection of the real change that is going through the country. These are people who believe that Portugal can be different. They are citizens who walk with us because they see in the party a force that does not give up on its principles and that fights daily for a fairer, more demanding and less resigned country.
Social networks have proven that there is a generation and I’m not just talking about age, but about a mentality that does not accept silence or tutelage. They look for alternative information, compare data, expose inconsistencies and look for answers. And we, as elected representatives, have a responsibility to be present, listen, clarify and act.
It is therefore no surprise that so many of our proposals gain traction first in the digital debate, before reaching Parliament. Social networks are today an unavoidable space for scrutiny and citizenship. They are often the first sign that the country has changed before politics recognizes it.
Of course, there are those who try to devalue this phenomenon. There are those who attack, try to discredit or try to stop this growing presence of Chega in the digital space. But the truth is simple: when thousands of people follow us, write to us, support us and challenge us, this is not just a statistic. It is a clear demonstration that there is a country that does not revert to old political structures and is looking for a firm and coherent alternative.
They may try to tear us down. They can try to stop us. They can create narratives to weaken us. But we will continue to do what we have always done: work for Portugal and the Portuguese. Always transparently, closely and without fear of scrutiny.
Social networks are today an indispensable work tool, but, above all, they are the mirror of a profound change. A change that didn’t start in offices started in people. And it is alongside them that we will continue, firm and united, to build a better Portugal.
Economist and deputy to the Assembly of the Republic