Chega seeks to cement foothold

A lawmaker from Portugal's far-right Chega party smiled and greeted shoppers at a market in the southernmost Algarve province, where it is looking to repeat its past success in next weekend's snap election.

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Quarteira - A lawmaker from Portugal's far-right Chega party smiled and greeted shoppers at a market in the southernmost Algarve province, where it is looking to repeat its past success in next weekend's snap election.

"It's here that we see the reality of the country," said Joao Paulo Graca, 51, as he handed out copies of the party's weekly newspaper at the open-air market in the resort town of Quarteira.

Other parties only come when they are campaigning, added Graca, a regular at the weekly farmers' market in the former fishing village lined with concrete hotel blocks on the Algarve's sun-kissed coastline.