A sanitary cordon against the extreme right makes Seguro the most voted president in the history of Portugal | International

where the socialist António José Seguro obtained an overwhelming victory against the ultra André Ventura, were not ordinary. In addition to overcoming the destructive trail of several storms, the country faced a new dilemma in its half century of democracy: the choice between a conventional politician and an extremist candidate who promised to change the system with a “punch.”

André Ventura, leader of Chega, never elaborated much on what exactly the punch would change, but his repeated attacks on the “April regime,” as he calls the democracy that emerged from the revolution of April 25, 1974, and his allusions to the dictatorship to fix the problems (“three salazars were needed”) have been enough to mobilize the majority of the population to stop him. “Although it has won votes, Ventura fell short of its objectives. In these elections, the Portuguese have created a cordon sanitaire that took it far away from the Belém Palace,” says Felisbela Lopes, professor at the Institute of Social Sciences at the University of Minho.

Although numerous localities had to move their polling stations due to the damage from the storms, there was a mobilization almost similar to the first round. The most symbolic image of this willingness to go to the polls despite everything were the zodiacs where voters isolated by the floods were transported. Seguro was worried that it would trigger abstention and benefit Ventura, who took advantage of the calamity to attack a failed system after half a century. It didn’t happen. The socialist won in all the districts of the country, including those most devastated by the weather, although it is revealing that the best results of the populist leader occurred in the areas most forgotten by the administrations.

With almost 3.5 million votes, he has broken the historical record for presidential elections and has surpassed what was achieved by Mário Soares in 1991. But Soares, who had been a fighter against the dictatorship and founder of the Socialist Party in exile, was a politician with magnetism, while Seguro has been accused of lacking charisma. In his party only a few, like Álvaro Beleza, wanted him in the presidential race. “There has been a great mobilization despite winds and storms to support a moderate and decent politician who always separated business and politics and who rejects division and hatred,” he responded to this newspaper this Monday.

Seguro’s growth, which doubled the votes it had received in the first round (from 1.7 to 3.4 million), came mainly from voters on the democratic right, since the effect of the transfer from other candidates on the left was small (four candidates totaled around 250,000). Right, there was no doubt. According to an exit poll published by Expresso, between 69% and 85% of former voters of right-wing candidates supported the social democrat on Sunday. The largest transfer of votes towards Ventura, which gained more than 400,000 compared to January 18, was among those who supported the liberal João Cotrim de Figueiredo, but it was still far from what Seguro achieved. “If he has won in such a landslide, it is because he concentrated the votes of all the voters who oppose a break with the 1976 Constitution, including those people who consider that Ventura can call democracy into question,” the director of the historic center states in a message. News DiaryFilipe Alves.

After the first round, prominent right-wing figures publicly announced that they would vote for Seguro. It was done by a conservative like the former president of the Republic, Aníbal Cavaco Silva, and also the Christian Democrat Paulo Portas, former deputy prime minister. All the candidates who had competed in the first round, right and left, also announced that they would support the socialist, who in the middle of the campaign was received by António Ramalho Eanes, today the most respected politician in Portugal.

Ventura used all this current in favor of his adversary to complain that he had fought against the entire system. He lost the race, but his figure is reinforced with new support and, with 1.7 million votes, he once again breaks his electoral ceiling. “With these votes, Ventura will try to capitalize on what was achieved on Sunday in the opposition. With a fragmented political country, Ventura has not lost its momentum here, although it remains to be seen whether the President of the Republic and the Government will have the strength to stretch the cordon sanitaire for the legislative elections, which is what Ventura wants to win the most,” says Florisbela Lopes.

Seguro’s victory is one less headache on the European board, where populist and autocratic leaders are advancing. Although the president of the Republic of Portugal does not have executive powers, he can be a factor of institutional instability thanks to his prerogatives such as calling elections or vetoing laws. The fear that Ventura could promote a reform of the Constitution if he won to strengthen his powers also loomed over this campaign. Portugal’s result is also a joy for the rickety European social democracy, which only governs four of the 27 EU countries.

The inauguration of the new president is scheduled for Sunday, March 9. His first act after the victory was a meeting this Monday with , whom he will replace at the Head of State.