Portugal Rejects Far-Right: António José Seguro Claims Victory with 66.8% in Presidential Runoff

Original article: Portugal le dijo no a la ultraderecha: Seguro aplasta a Ventura con 66,8% en la segunda vuelta

Portugal has decisively thwarted the far-right in a pivotal electoral event. Former Socialist Minister António José Seguro triumphed this Sunday in the presidential runoff in Portugal against André Ventura, the far-right leader. With 99.20% of votes counted, the tally awarded Seguro 66.82% of the ballots compared to 33.18% for Ventura.

Ventura himself acknowledged his defeat to the press, stating: “It seems I did not achieve my goal, which was to win this election”. Conversely, Seguro addressed the public with a celebratory tone, remarking: “My first word is simple: the Portuguese people are the best people in the world, excellent, with enormous civic responsibility and a deep commitment to democratic values”, he told reporters in Caldas da Rainha, the town he resides in.

Presidential Runoff in Portugal: «Winners Are the Portuguese and Democracy»

In a speech delivered at the auditorium in Caldas da Rainha, Seguro emphasized that “the winners tonight are the Portuguese and democracy”. In a gesture aimed at reducing political tension, he extended an olive branch to Ventura, suggesting that they now move beyond their rivalry to work “for a more developed and fairer Portugal”.

Seguro’s victory was secured through his own political base as well as support from the center-right voters. This win signifies the return of a leftist figure to the Palácio de Belém, the presidential seat, 20 years after the departure of Jorge Sampaio in 2006, after which conservative leaders Aníbal Cavaco Silva and Marcelo Rebelo de Sousa took over.

Exit polls had projected Seguro’s range at 67% to 71%. It was noted that if he reached the upper end, he could surpass the record set by Mário Soares in 1991 (70.35%). Ultimately, the reported count placed him at 66.82%.

Presidential Runoff in Portugal: Voter Turnout, Weather Effects, and Reallocated Polling Stations

Over 11 million people were eligible to vote. By 16:00 (local time), voter turnout was at 45.50%, almost identical to the turnout during the first round at the same hour (45.51%). The election day proceeded “normally and with very few incidents”, although some polling stations were relocated due to weather conditions, noted the spokesperson for the National Election Commission (CNE), André Wemans.

Additionally, due to the adverse weather, elections were reported to be postponed by a week in certain flood-affected areas, rescheduled for February 15, impacting 36,852 voters from three localities.

Internationally, early congratulations poured in. Emmanuel Macron stated he would work with Seguro to “strengthen the ties between Portugal and France” and to create “a Europe that decides for itself, more competitive, more sovereign, and stronger”. On social media, Lula da Silva congratulated the elected leader for his “decisive” victory, highlighting that the elections “represent a victory for democracy” at a crucial moment for Europe and the world.