US EditionPortugal Presidential Vote Wide Open as Far-Right Surge Expected
With no candidate surpassing 50%, Portugal faces a runoff election on Feb 8 as support divides among 11 contenders, including three polling above 19%, polls show.
- On Sunday, January 18, Portuguese voters will pick a successor to Marcelo Rebelo de Sousa, outgoing president term-limited after a decade in office, but no candidate is close to the majority needed to avoid a runoff.
- Political churn—repeated elections and short-lived governments—has left establishment parties struggling with housing, public services, immigration and cost-of-living issues, fueling Chega's rise as a central force.
- With 11 candidates competing, the latest major poll puts André Ventura on 24%, António José Seguro on 23%, and João Cotrim de Figueiredo on 19%, while Luís Marques Mendes and Henrique Gouveia e Melo each sit around 14%.
- Because the president is also the constitutional referee, the December veto sent a tightening package back to parliament, keeping immigration and citizenship policy debates active.
- Portugal normally decides its president in one clean sweep, but current math favors a February 8 runoff, only the second since 1974, affecting immigration and citizenship policy, housing and public services.
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57 Articles
InsideNoVA.com
Portugal presidential vote wide open as far-right surge expected
Portugal votes on Sunday in the first round of a presidential election in which a far-right candidate could for the first time make it to a run-off ballot, but with the final result hard to predict.
It is very likely that a second round of voting will be necessary.
The presidential election on Sunday is expected to go into the second round, according to forecasts. This gives the Chega leading in polls more time and space to promote their own policies.
Why Portugal Is Heading for a Rare Presidential Runoff After Years of Political Drift
Key Points Polls suggest Sunday’s vote will trigger a February 8 runoff, something Portugal has seen only once since 1974. The job looks ceremonial, but the president can veto laws and dissolve parliament when politics jam. The surge of a “country-first” mood, fueled by frustration with establishment governance, is reshaping the whole contest. Portugal normally […]
Portugal will elect a new president on Sunday. Several candidates are in a head-to-head race.
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