antoniojoseseguro / flickr; José Coelho / Lusa
Between the candidates and parties that after the first results of election night have already announced their support and those that did not want to endorse it or have not yet spoken out, the political framework begins to reposition itself for the dispute in the second round of elections between António José Seguro and André Ventura.
Throughout election night, some of the defeated candidates already announced their voting intentions in the second round of the presidential elections.
On the left, it is unanimous support for António José Seguro — who immediately received the express endorsement of the PCP, through the voice of Paulo Raimund, and his candidate, Antonio Felipewho in their statements left an indication of voting for the socialist candidate “to guarantee the defeat of André Ventura”.
On the Left Bloc side, the same indication: Catarina Martins declared support for Seguro in the second round, and the Bloc’s coordinator, Jose Manuel Purezaannounced that he will propose to the party’s national table, which meets tomorrow, support for António José Seguro in the second round “to defeat André Ventura”.
The candidate supported by Livre, Jorge Pintowho had already hinted at supporting António José Seguro in the debate with all the candidates, was clear in tonight’s speech.
“I said it wouldn’t be for me that Seguro would not be President of the Republic. Now I say something different: it will be because of me that he will be President. I will vote Safe in the second round and I will call on my party to do the same”, he said.
Livre’s co-spokespeople also announced that the party should support António José Seguro in the second round of the presidential elections, with only the decision remaining to be formalized in internal consultation.
The co-spokesperson Isabel Mendes Lopes considered “highly worrying” that Luís Marques Mendes and the PSD have chosen not to take a position in the second round, and argued that “It’s easy for a democrat know which side to take.”
The left does this “all in” in António José Seguro.
On the right, the scenario is different. The Prime Minister, Luís Montenegro, added that the PSD, whose political space is not represented in the second round, does not support not Seguro not Ventura.
“PSD will not be involved in the electoral campaign and we will not issue any indication, you’re not even supposed to do it. It’s not worth playing political games, you can ask questions, but you won’t find an answer other than this”, said Montenegro.
In his defeat speech, Marques Mendes refused to give his support to any candidates. “I will not endorse votes that were entrusted to me today.”
“I have my personal opinion but, as a candidate, I don’t own the votes that were deposited with me. Each person will decide according to their freedom and conscience”, concludes the candidate supported by the PSD.
However, António José Seguro has already received the expressed support, individually, from some PSD personalities. It was the case of Miguel Poiares Maduro.
The former minister of Passos Coelho and supporter of Marques Mendes said, on RTP, that “from the point of view of principlesand understanding our political regime, I am closer to António José Seguro than André Ventura”.
In his speech, Cotrim de Figueiredo highlighted that in the second round “the Portuguese will be faced with a bad choice between António José Seguro and André Ventura”.
It is therefore likely that “although there is currently a center-right majority, the country will have probably a socialist president“, said the IL candidate, who concluded by saying that “I do not intend to vote or recommend voting in any of the candidates.”
And the admiral?
Henrique Gouveia e Melo kept the mystery. He considered that it was an early time to indicate some support, and that he would “reserve this for another timelater”.
In the coming days, there will probably be a clarification of support and positions on the right and among supporters of Gouveia and Melo — among whom are several personalities from the PSD and CDS/PP.
