The presidential elections in Portugal confirmed this Sunday (18) the holding of a second round for the first time in four decades. António José Seguro and André Ventura advanced to the final stage of the dispute, scheduled for February 8, after neither candidate reached more than 50% of the valid votes in the first round.
With 97% of the ballots counted, Seguro achieved 30.84% of the votes, while Ventura secured second place, with 23.85%. The result reflects the high degree of fragmentation of the Portuguese political scene, which saw a record number of 11 candidacies.
Ventura’s trip to the second round consolidates the growth of the Chega party, a right-wing populist force that has become the second largest party in the Portuguese Parliament in recent years. During the campaign, the candidate focused his speech on criticism of immigration and the traditional political system, in rhetoric aligned with rising right-wing movements in other European countries.
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António José Seguro, former leader of the Socialist Party, began to receive support among candidates defeated in the first round shortly after the results were confirmed. Catarina Martins, supported by the Bloco de Esquerda, and Jorge Pinto, supported by Livre, declared their vote for Seguro for the second round, reinforcing the convergence of sectors of the left around their candidacy.
In statements after the results were announced, Ventura stated that the dispute is now between “socialism and those who do not want socialism in Portugal” and defended the union of right-wing forces around his candidacy. Seguro, in turn, highlighted the need for institutional dialogue in a country that is going through a period of political instability.
Although the Portuguese presidency has a predominantly institutional character, the head of state plays an important role in times of crisis, with powers to veto legislation and dissolve Parliament. The definition of the next president takes place after a period marked by successive legislative elections and difficulties in guaranteeing political stability in the country.
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