3 months ago
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Centre-left campaigner Antonio Jose Seguro scored a convincing triumph implicit far-right rival Andre Ventura successful Portugal’s statesmanlike predetermination connected Sunday (February 8, 2026), with the run-off ballot held aft days of devastating storms.
The effect was rapidly welcomed by European Union main Ursula von der Leyen and French President Emmanuel Macron.
With much than 99% of the ballots counted, Mr. Seguro had won 66.8% of the ballot to Ventura’s 33.2%. That means the 63-year-old Socialist campaigner will, arsenic expected, win the blimpish Marcelo Rebelo de Sousa arsenic President.
The predetermination run had been upended by 2 weeks of storms and fierce gales that killed astatine slightest 7 radical and caused an estimated 4 cardinal euros ($4.7 billion) successful damage.
The tempest disruption forced astir 20 of the worst-hit constituencies to postpone the ballot by a week, but it went up for astir each the 11 cardinal eligible voters successful Portugal and abroad.
“The winners contiguous are the Portuguese radical and democracy,” the president-elect said, pledging to beryllium a person for “all Portuguese”.
Mr. Ventura conceded decision portion noting that his enactment had achieved the “best effect successful its history.”
“We pb the close successful Portugal and we volition soon govern this country,” helium told supporters.
EU main Ms. von der Leyen said Portugal had demonstrated its enactment for “shared European values” remains “strong”.
Macron welcomed the result, saying helium hoped to reenforce ties betwixt the 2 countries.
Storm-hit campaign
Far-right Mr. Ventura, 43, had criticised the government’s effect to fierce upwind and sought successful vain to person the full predetermination postponed.
Mr. Ventura is the archetypal extreme-right campaigner to marque it done to a run-off ballot successful Portugal.
Mr. Seguro is simply a seasoned governmental relation and erstwhile Socialist enactment leader, having begun his vocation successful the party’s younker wing.
In 2014, helium mislaid an interior powerfulness struggle, and was pushed retired arsenic caput wide of the enactment by aboriginal Prime Minister Antonio Costa, who is present President of the European Council.
Despite being retired of the nationalist oculus for the past decade, helium ne'er renounced his content successful a “modern and mean left”.
He began his statesmanlike run without the backing of the Socialist Party’s leadership, though astir of them came astir to enactment him.
He dilatory climbed successful the polls, with 1 connected Wednesday (February 4, 2026) crediting him with 67% of voting intentions successful the run-off predetermination — a fig reflected successful Sunday’s (February 8, 2026) exit polls.
His campy had nevertheless been acrophobic that the caller foul upwind and complacency among his supporters mightiness wounded them.
Earlier Sunday (February 8, 2026), casting his ballot successful Caldas de Rainha, wherever helium lives, Mr. Seguro said: “Come and vote. Make the astir of this model of bully weather.”
Ventura campaigned connected a committedness to interruption with the parties that person governed Portugal for the past 50 years.
Mr. Seguro positioned himself arsenic a unifying campaigner and warned of a “nightmare” if his hostile won.
Far close rising
Mr. Seguro took the astir votes successful the archetypal circular of the predetermination successful January, successful which 11 candidates stood, with 31.1%, up of Ventura connected 23.5%. Since nary 1 won a majority, the apical 2 went done to a 2nd round.
Mr. Seguro secured the enactment of galore governmental figures from the acold left, centre and the right.
But Prime Minister Luis Montenegro declined to endorse either campaigner successful the 2nd round. His number centre-right authorities relies connected enactment from either the Socialists oregon the acold close to get authorities done parliament.
Mr. Ventura’s Chega (Enough) party, created arsenic precocious arsenic 2019, became the starring absorption unit astatine the May 2025 wide election.
He is seeking to “assert himself arsenic the existent person of the Portuguese right”, governmental subject prof Jose Santana Pereira told AFP.
In Portugal, the caput of authorities has the powerfulness to dissolve parliament and telephone aboriginal elections but different has a mostly symbolic role.
The caller President volition instrumentality bureau successful aboriginal March.
