Portuguese Conservative Party Chega Vows to Take Legal Action Over 10-year Facebook Restriction

Amidst controversy and accusations of political bias, Portugal’s conservative Chega party has declared its plans to pursue legal action against Meta Platforms, Facebook’s parent company. This action comes in response to Meta’s decision to enforce a 10-year restriction on Chega’s Facebook account, igniting protests from party members who see it as a deliberate attack on their party by a left-wing platform, targeting their ability to engage in political discourse.

The party’s spokesperson, Patricia Carvalho, disclosed on Tuesday that Meta Platforms had informed Chega of the restrictive measure, citing a violation of community standards. However, the party contends that Meta has failed to provide a fair avenue for appeal within the social media platform.

“This decision is incomprehensible and represents an unprecedented persecution of a political party in Portugal,” remarked Carvalho, expressing the party’s intent to challenge the decision through legal channels. The restriction, spanning 3,649 days, effectively prohibits the creation of original content on Chega’s Facebook page, limiting it to sharing content from other sources.

Chega, known for its anti-illegal immigration and populist stance, surged in popularity during Portugal’s recent snap elections, securing 50 parliamentary seats and positioning itself as the country’s third-largest political party. However, the left has deployed its typical smear tactics and accusations against the rising, wildly popular, and growing conservative party, falsely accusing them of hate speech (Marxist versions of blasphemy laws) and incitement of violence.

Party leader Andre Ventura condemned Meta’s action as “an unacceptable form of censorship,” rallying supporters to voice their discontent on social media platforms.

O Facebook acaba de bloquear a nossa página durante 10 anos. Claramente ilegal e de uma perseguição inqualificável.

Um dos maiores ataques à liberdade de expressão a um partido político em Portugal. Por mais que tentem, não não vão conseguir calar! #CHEGA pic.twitter.com/DRicV8ad2n

— Partido CHEGA 🇵🇹 (@PartidoCHEGA) April 14, 2024

Chega’s significant presence on platforms like Facebook and TikTok underscores the importance of digital outreach in modern politics. The party’s Facebook page boasts 200,000 followers, and Ventura’s TikTok account exceeds 280,000.

The move by Meta Platforms has reignited debates over social media giants’ bias, particularly in their treatment of conservative voices. Similar instances of account restrictions or suspensions targeting conservative politicians and parties have been reported in the past, prompting concerns over censorship and political interference.

The situation parallels previous incidents, such as Twitter suspending Spain’s Vox party ahead of the Catalan regional elections in 2021. RAIR readers are well aware of the coordinated attacks made on President Donald Trump to impact the 2020 campaign. As reported previously, a conspiratorial alliance between major media outlets, corporations, and big tech monopolies, known as the Trusted News Initiative (TNI), aimed to influence the U.S. presidential election. This alliance also openly interfered in other democratic processes, including the U.K. 2019 and Taiwan 2020 general elections. Critics point to a pattern of behavior that suggests a concerted campaign to silence dissenting voices and influence electoral outcomes.

As Chega gears up to legally challenge Meta Platforms’ decision, it brings attention to the broader impact of social media censorship on political discourse and democratic processes. The controversy surrounding Chega’s Facebook account restriction underscores the left’s ongoing battle to suppress opposition, stifle freedom of expression, and undermine the sovereignty of nations.