António José Seguro Wins Portuguese Presidency After Runoff

António José Seguro, the center-left Socialist candidate, has won the Portuguese presidential election after a runoff, securing a five-year term. This election required a second round of voting for only the second time since 1974, seeing Seguro defeat André Ventura, leader of the Chega party. The contest unfolded against a backdrop of significant political instability in Portugal and severe weather conditions that affected voting in some regions.

The election required a second round of voting for only the second time since 1974, highlighting a deeply divided political landscape.

Initial Round and Runoff Necessity

Portuguese citizens first cast their ballots on a Sunday, with 11 candidates initially vying for the presidency. In the first round, no candidate secured the required 50% majority to win outright. António José Seguro received 31.1% of the vote, while André Ventura secured 23.5%. João Cotrim de Figueiredo of the Liberal Initiative party also attracted considerable support.

The outcome necessitated a runoff election, the first in 40 years. Pre-election polls had indicated a close race among the top three candidates, highlighting a fragmented political landscape.

Candidates and Platforms in the Runoff

The runoff election pitted António José Seguro, a veteran Socialist politician, against André Ventura, leader of the Chega (Enough) party.

António José Seguro

Seguro presented himself as a moderate candidate committed to collaboration with Portugal’s center-right minority government. He distanced himself from the anti-establishment and anti-immigration rhetoric of his opponent and garnered support from other mainstream politicians.

António José Seguro framed the election as a clear choice for democracy.

André Ventura

André Ventura's Chega party, founded less than seven years ago, rapidly became the second-largest party in parliament following a general election on May 18. Ventura adopted a confrontational stance, advocating for a "transformation" in Portugal.

He frequently targeted perceived excessive immigration, with campaign slogans such as:

• "Portugal is ours"
• "Immigrants shouldn’t be allowed to live on welfare"
• "This isn't Bangladesh"

Ventura also called for stricter measures against corruption and crime, including harsher penalties for criminals.

Election Logistics and Challenges

Approximately 11 million eligible voters, both domestically and abroad, participated in the election. Polling stations opened at 8 a.m. or 9 a.m. local time and closed at 7 p.m. on the mainland and Madeira, with voting continuing for an additional hour in the Azores.

The second round proceeded amidst severe storms and flooding across the country, which caused at least seven fatalities and an estimated 4 billion euros in damages. Due to the extreme weather, voting was postponed for a week in multiple constituencies and municipalities, affecting thousands of eligible voters.

A proposal by André Ventura to postpone the entire national vote was rejected by election authorities.

Prime Minister Luis Montenegro acknowledged the challenges but stated they could be overcome, citing precedent from previous elections held under difficult circumstances.

Runoff Results and Implications

Official results, with 99% of votes counted, showed António José Seguro winning with a decisive 66.7% of the votes, while André Ventura received 33.3%.

European Commission President Ursula von der Leyen congratulated Seguro, emphasizing Portugal's continued commitment to shared European values.

This election provided an indication of public sentiment regarding the trend of increasing right-wing political shifts observed in Europe, given Chega's performance.

The Portuguese Presidency and Political Context

The Portuguese president primarily holds a ceremonial role without executive power. However, the position carries significant influence, including the ability to veto parliamentary legislation (though this can be overridden), dissolve parliament, and call early elections. The role traditionally involves mediating disputes and promoting stability.

The new president will succeed center-right President Marcelo Rebelo de Sousa, who has completed his maximum two five-year terms. Seguro is scheduled to assume office on March 9.

The election followed a period of political instability in Portugal, marked by three general elections in three years. Previous administrations faced challenges from corruption scandals, rising populism, and unstable minority governments.

A key challenge for the incoming president will be to foster political stability.

This is particularly crucial as the ruling center-right Democratic Alliance (AD) coalition holds 91 seats but lacks an absolute majority in the 230-seat parliament.