Portugal elects moderate socialist as president in runoff vote

Moderate socialist António José Seguro won a decisive victory in Portugal’s presidential runoff on February 8, securing a five-year term after defeating far-right, anti-establishment candidate André Ventura, according to exit polls and partial results.

Despite a succession of severe storms in recent days, voter turnout remained broadly in line with the first round held on January 18. Flooding forced three municipal councils in southern and central Portugal to postpone voting by a week, affecting around 37,000 registered voters, or roughly 0.3% of the electorate — a number unlikely to alter the final outcome, The Guardian reports.

With nearly 70% of ballots counted, Seguro had secured 64% of the vote, while Ventura trailed with 36%. Two exit polls placed Seguro’s support between 67% and 73%, and Ventura’s between 27% and 33%. Votes from major cities such as Lisbon and Porto are traditionally counted later.

“The response the Portuguese people gave today, their commitment to freedom, democracy, and the future of our country, leaves me naturally moved and proud of our nation,” Seguro, 63, told reporters.

Ventura’s performance nevertheless marked a significant improvement over the 22.8% won by his anti-immigration Chega party in last year’s general election. In those elections, Chega became the country’s second-largest parliamentary force, overtaking the Socialists and finishing behind the centre-right ruling alliance, which secured 31.2%.

Despite his defeat, Ventura, a 43-year-old former television sports commentator, framed the result as a consolidation of his leadership on the right.

“The entire political system, across both right and left, united against me,” Ventura told reporters as he left a Catholic mass in central Lisbon. “Even so ... I believe the leadership of the right has been defined and secured today. I expect to lead that political space from this day forward.”

Seguro campaigned as a representative of a “modern and moderate” left, pledging to defend democratic values and to act as a mediator in times of political tension. Following the first round, he received endorsements from prominent conservatives concerned about what they described as Ventura’s populist and authoritarian tendencies.

Portugal’s presidency is largely ceremonial, with no executive authority, but it does hold significant constitutional powers, including the ability to dissolve parliament under specific circumstances. Ventura had pledged to be a more “interventionist” president and argued for expanding the role of the head of state.

Seguro, by contrast, has emphasised cooperation with Portugal’s centre-right minority government and rejected Ventura’s anti-establishment and anti-immigrant rhetoric. His candidacy drew support from mainstream politicians across the political spectrum seeking to curb the rise of populism in Portugal.

Traditionally, Portugal’s president is expected to stand above partisan politics, serving as a unifying figure who mediates disputes and helps defuse political crises.

By Sabina Mammadli