GOVCOPP: Research Unit on Governance, Competitiveness and Public [UID/04058/2025]

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New partners on the street? Cooperation between radical left parties and progressive social movements in Portugal

Publication . Conceição, Tiago; Jalali, Carlos; Lourenço, Pedro

Promoting issues close to radical left parties (RLPs) agenda, progressive social movements (PSMs) have mobilised a new generation of activists in many European democracies in recent years. This article examines how and why RLPs and PSMs cooperate. Methodologically, it triangulates semi-structured interviews with elites from the two main Portuguese RLPs, Left Bloc and Portuguese Communist Party, and of three recent PSMs (International Feminist Strike, School Strike for Climate, and House for Living Platform), as well as of activists with overlapping memberships of the two. Overall, we find interactions to partly align with the co-evolution thesis: both sides maintain autonomy while engaging in informal, non-exclusive collaborations. Yet the relationship is less stable than the model implies and does not necessarily generate sustained mutual adaptation. PSMs primarily cooperate for instrumental reasons: to amplify visibility, influence policymaking and obtain material support. RLPs, in turn, see PSMs as mechanisms to reinforce their policy agenda. Interactions are predominantly informal, through overlapping memberships, which facilitate the exchange of information and resources but also generate tensions. Consistent with the literature, cooperation is shaped by parties’ organisational and ideological traits. However, social movements are not passive actors, with their positions and strategies also significantly shaping interactions with RLPs.

2026-05-18Artigo científico

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The GOVCOPP Research Unit is financially supported by UID/04058/2025 - Research Unit on Governance, Competitiveness and Public Policies, financed by national funds through Fundação da Ciência e Tecnologia (FCT). This program is applicable through the current financially cicle from 2025-2029.

Entidade financiadora

Fundação para a Ciência e a Tecnologia (FCT)

Número da atribuição

UID/04058/2025