Presidential elections may be postponed in several municipalities

Marcelo leaves the decision to local officials. Law allows changes at the last minute. Seguro speaks of a “nightmare”.

The President of the Republic, Marcelo Rebelo Sousa, admitted today that some municipalities will be able to decide postpone the presidential elections due to the state of calamity resulting from the bad weather affecting the country.

“The decisive word belongs to the mayor, or the mayor, it is neither the President of the Republic, nor the Government, nor the Assembly of the Republic”, he said, adding that “if there are no conditions, it is foreseen, in case of calamity, to exercise this power and, therefore, it allows the elections to be held eight days later, seven days later”.

Marcelo Rebelo de Sousa was speaking to journalists in Alcácer do Sal, in the district of Setúbal, where he is visiting, at a time when the downtown area of ​​the Alentejo city has been flooded since Wednesday last week.

The Head of State admitted, on the other hand, to making a communication to the country on Saturday, calling for a vote.

“Not in these circumstances experienced here (in Alcácer do Sal), but in other parts of the country where it may have rained, or rain, but where there are conditions to be able to vote,” he said, adding: “If that is the case, I may, perhaps, as the situation evolves, make a brief appeal to vote.”

Regarding the possibility of some municipalities postponing the date of the second round of presidential elections, Marcelo Rebelo de Sousa highlighted that “each chamber is a case”.

“I didn’t want to talk about that, because the decision is up to the mayors. Each chamber is different, but it is clear that in extreme situations, with situations like this (in Alcácer do Sal), the president (of the municipality, Clarisse Campos) will judge at the appropriate time, but will probably take into account what is going on and will consider that the most prudent thing is to make a decision that allows what is in the law to be used”, he said.

“The law allows this (change the election date)”, he highlighted.

Under the terms of the Electoral Law of the President of the Republic, article 81, mayors in continental territory or representatives of the Republic in autonomous regions, in the event of calamity on the day of the election or in the three previous days, may recognize the impossibility of voting in the affected polling stations or sections.

The President of the Republic said, however, that “it is necessary to have a lot of common sense”, but reiterated that “the law allows this option”.

“Nightmare”

Antonio José Insurance argued that “No one can be harmed in their right to vote” due to the effects of bad weather, repeating that it is up to the mayors to decide whether to postpone the second round of the presidential elections.

The candidate for Belém warned of “the nightmare” which would be for those who want him as President of the Republic, by not going to vote, end up electing their opponent, considering it “an unacceptable risk” to win by a short margin.

At the end of a visit to DNA Cascais, a district of Lisbon, Seguro was faced with the possibility of his candidacy being jeopardized by a high level of abstention due to the bad weather that has been plaguing the national territory.

“What wins elections are the votes of the Portuguese, when they are counted, and in the end the majority says who the new President of the Republic is. What would be something completely surprising, would even be a nightmare is that the Portuguese want a President, want the candidacy that I star in and then, by not going to vote, allow someone else to win the elections”, he maintained.