The President of the Republic voted in advance in the Vila Real Chamber of Santo António, in the Algarve.
The President of the Republic appealed on Sunday to vote, noting that in the next 12 months there can be no elections, and said he considered that the number of people to vote in advance is a sign that abstention could lower.
Speaking to journalists after voting in advance at the Vila Real de Santo António Chamber, Faro, Marcelo Rebelo de Sousa stressed that in the following six months to the convening of legislative elections, there is no new elections, such as the final six months of the presidential mandate.
According to the President of the Republic, this means that only in the end of spring, early summer next year, is that if necessary, there could be new elections, which, he stressed, hopes it will not happen, appealing to the Portuguese to abandon the idea of correcting tomorrow what they do today.
“My appeal is to vote. Vote for a very simple reason. The world is as it is, it is not easy, it is harder than a year ago and on the other hand there can be no elections next year,” he said.
The Portuguese head of state today voted in advance in the Vila Real Chamber of Santo António, in the district of Faro, where 925 voters were registered, having arrived at 10:45 and voted at 11:30.
While waiting in line to vote, Marcelo Rebelo de Sousa spoke to the people who were also waiting for his turn, explaining that he asked for the early vote to be able to go to the Vatican to the inaugural mass of Pope Leo XIV’s pontificate, scheduled for May 18, early legislative elections in Portugal.
The President of the Republic was pleased with the number of people who were voting in Vila Real de Santo António today and said that this is a sign that there may be less abstention.
“I must say that I am very impressed by the number of voters, both in general and here, in particular, I never thought it was so many people to vote,” he said.
Asked if he is concerned about abstention, Marcelo Rebelo de Sousa argued that the high number of people who have signed up to vote in advance is a sign that people want to vote.
“Having increased [o voto antecipado] people also know more, they know better, they know that it is a way to prevent anything that happens on the day of voting, but I think it is a sign I may mean, those who vote in the national territory […] I think here, in principle, it can happen as happened a year ago when the young people were the surprise and made the abstention down, “he stressed.
Marcelo Rebelo de Sousa also praised the way the election campaign has elapsed, which he considers that he has been going on very well.
“It took place very well, there are no problems of public order, there is no insecurity, punctual things, but nothing exceptionally serious, and on the other there a huge concern of the parties in television debates and now, in the election campaign to explain everything” to voters, he concluded.
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