Camilo Pinheiro, President of the Institute of Conservative Politics (IPC), has over 15 years of international experience in business intelligence, project management, and technological innovation in leadership roles. Graduated in Architecture from the Lusíada University of Vila Nova de Famalicão, he has held key positions in Canada, Brazil, Chile, and Portugal. Over the past two years, he has actively collaborated with the Chega party, written political articles—including those published in The European Conservative—and organized conservative events in Portugal. He combines his experience in leadership and political analysis with conservative principles to advance the IPC’s mission of promoting conservative thought, research, and public engagement in Portugal.
We interviewed him on the occasion of the event “The Crown and the Cross” organized in Braga.
What social, cultural, and institutional factors contributed to the rise of André Ventura and Chega! in a country like Portugal, long tied to a socialist tradition?
There are many variables that have allowed Ventura’s party to grow, but the most important is related to society, which has been suffocated by the last 40–50 years of socialism across the media, institutional sphere, and public debate. People have grown tired—seeing no economic growth, they perceive the stagnation of the past two decades. There have been many promises from socialist governments, yet no results.
From the perspective of young people, I would mention the oppressive diktats of woke culture. Many young Portuguese—especially women—feel the need for strong leadership and solid, conservative values.
I believe the change underway is physiological.
Chega!’s political project is supported by metapolitical initiatives that value culture, such as the one you lead with the Institute of Conservative Politics. Tell us how it began and what your ambitions are.
The Institute was created because we felt the need to complement, on a cultural level, the path Chega! was undertaking in politics—and largely alone. There has been little development in Portugal in terms of think tanks and conservative culture, which is why we insisted on moving forward. We organize initiatives and cultural events, but our main goal is to engage young people, promoting exchanges of ideas and debates among them. The Institute aims to build solid foundations for international exchange with our partners.
When we talk about conservatism, we often think of the Anglo-Saxon, neoliberal tradition. Is there room for a Euro-Atlantic, Mediterranean, and Latin form of conservatism connecting countries like Italy, Portugal, Spain, and Greece?
Both Chega! and our Institute present themselves as defenders of Christian values. On the economic front we also embrace more liberal and libertarian positions, but it is not a matter of economics or money as much as synergy—because the goal is for our countries to prosper. Conservative ideas must also have an economic dimension.
At the event you organized together with the Danube Institute and the Prosperity Institute, which also featured the participation of Nazione Futura, we discussed the heritage of the Cross and the Crown, highlighting the monarchic experiences of different European countries. Tell us what inspired the choice of this theme and how the monarchical experience in Portugal can be summarized.
Portugal never had a constitutional monarchy, but rather an absolutist one. Today, however, the legacy of the Crown is associated with patriotism—people take pride in reclaiming the importance of the historical memory of the monarchy, also because it is often tied to faith. For this reason, we decided to organize this event, which brings together representatives from different European countries with diverse cultural backgrounds. As for politics, Chega! will also continue to promote this narrative, highlighting how the failures of the Presidents of the Republic could be overcome by a constitutional monarchy, with its symbols and unifying rites.
How is Meloni perceived in Portugal?
I have great admiration for Giorgia Meloni; I believe she is the Italian Margaret Thatcher. As a leader she is charismatic and strong, and she is an example of conservatism that stands firmly by its values.