National Democratic Alternative (Portugal) Explained

Country:Portugal
National Democratic Alternative
Native Name:Alternativa Democrática Nacional
Abbreviation:ADN
Colorcode:
  1. 1D4E89
President:Bruno Fialho
Predecessor:Democratic Republican Party
Position:Far-right[1] [2]
Headquarters:Estrada da Luz, 71
1600–165 Lisboa
Colours: Blue
Seats1 Title:Assembly of the Republic
Seats2 Title:European Parliament
Seats3 Title:Regional
parliaments
Seats4 Title:Local
government

The National Democratic Alternative (Portuguese: Alternativa Democrática Nacional, ADN), originally the Democratic Republican Party (Portuguese: Partido Democrático Republicano, PDR) until October 2021, is a Portuguese political party, founded in 2014. In 2022, the party attracted some attention for its COVID-19 denialist views after the party president claimed on a televised debate that "there wasn't an excess of mortality in Portugal because of Covid",[3] and that "there is proof that only 152 people died of Covid (in Portugal)".[4]

On 22 September 2022, the party left the European Democratic Party due to ideological divergencies regarding the LGBT community.[5]

The party has a significant support base from Brazilian Evangelical Christians, as Brazilian and Portuguese immigrants have the right to vote in each other's elections. Brazilian congressman and Evangelical pastor Marco Feliciano endorsed the party. Policies that appeal to Evangelicals include opposition to drugs and abortion.[6] [7]

The party achieved its best electoral result in the 2024 Portuguese legislative election. During the election it was involved in a controversy with the Democratic Alliance (AD) spearheaded by the Social Democratic Party (PSD). The AD alleged that ADN was taking its votes by having similar initials. Leader Bruno Fialho said that these allegations were evidence that AD leader Luís Montenegro believed that the Portuguese people were stupid; Fialho added that nobody had confused the PSD with its main rival, the Socialist Party (PS).[7]

Electoral results

Assembly of the Republic

ElectionLeaderVotes%Seats+/-Government
202211,4510.2 (#14) 0
2024102,1321.6 (#9) 0

Regional assemblies

RegionElectionLeaderVotes%Seats+/-Government
Azores2024Rui Matos3780.3 (#10)New
Madeira2024Miguel Pita7720.6 (#12)0

Notes and References

  1. News: Freire . Maria . Fenómeno ADN: o partido que cresceu seis vezes mais (e ainda não parou) . 23 March 2024 . SIC Notícias . 10 March 2024 . https://web.archive.org/web/20240311010736/https://sicnoticias.pt/especiais/eleicoes-legislativas/2024-03-10-Fenomeno-ADN-o-partido-que-cresceu-seis-vezes-mais--e-ainda-nao-parou--fc633926?utm_term=Autofeed&utm_medium=Social&utm_source=Facebook&fbclid=IwAR2Wm6rE5WkFYqf52PcuK92nSaQeO6d2Z35kDSyCcXzoBz5jnjCH_gQz4qU . 11 March 2024 . Portuguese.
  2. Web site: Portugal - Global Project Against Hate and Extremism . Global Project Against Hate and Extremism . 23 March 2024 . https://web.archive.org/web/20240103195120/https://globalextremism.org/portugal/#bah . 3 January 2024.
  3. Web site: Gomes. João Francisco. Fact Check. "Não houve um excesso de mortalidade em Portugal por causa do Covid", como diz candidato da ADN Bruno Fialho?. 2022-02-07. Observador. pt-PT.
  4. Web site: SAPO. O debate dos 11 partidos sem assento parlamentar e as 8 mentiras mais polémicas do confronto. 2022-02-07. Polígrafo. pt.
  5. Web site: ADN desvincula-se do PDE/EDP devido a posições polémicas – Partido ADN . June 2022 .
  6. News: Iacomini . Franco . Brazilian Evangelicals Bring Their Political Playbook to Portugal . 23 March 2024 . Christianity Today . 5 March 2024.
  7. News: Líder do ADN recusa confusão com AD e conta com apoio de bolsonaristas e evangélicos . 23 March 2024 . CNN Portugal . 1 March 2024 . Portuguese.