Lisbon, February 7: Portugal is set to hold its second round of voting on February 8, amidst ongoing struggles with natural disasters. In this electoral climate, traditional political parties are adopting unusual strategies. Despite ideological differences, several rival parties are uniting to prevent far-right extremist forces from gaining power.
In recent months, Portugal has suffered from severe natural disasters, damaging infrastructure, disrupting daily life, and raising questions about the government’s disaster management capabilities. These circumstances have fueled public anger and dissatisfaction, becoming central to political discourse as elections approach.
Mainstream parties believe that economic uncertainty, post-disaster challenges, and political instability could enable far-right extremist parties to gain support. In response to this concern, ideologically diverse parties have indicated their willingness to form coalitions or collaborate after the elections to keep the far-right from power.
Political analysts suggest that this election is not merely about choosing a government; it will also determine Portugal’s democratic values and future direction. Voters will decide what kind of Politics and leadership they trust during times of crisis—whether based on confrontation and polarization or focused on cooperation and stability.
Center-left candidate Antonio Jose Seguro garnered 31.1% of the votes in the first round held on January 18. Meanwhile, the leader of the far-right Chega party, Andre Ventura, received 23.5%, while Joao Cotrim de Figueiredo from the conservative pro-business Liberal Initiative party came in third with nearly 16%. The ruling Social Democratic Party (PSD) candidate, Luis Marques Mendes, finished fifth with 11.3%.
Opinion polls indicate that Seguro’s victory is likely. A survey released late Tuesday by Catholic University shows that 67% of respondents favor the socialist candidate, while 33% support Ventura.
If the polls hold true, Seguro would achieve the highest vote count for a presidential candidate in Portugal in the last five decades, following the end of authoritarian rule.
Among Seguro’s early supporters are two center-right leaders: former President and Prime Minister Aníbal Cavaco Silva and former Deputy Prime Minister Paulo Portas. Over 6,600 individuals, including former ministers and prominent intellectuals, have participated in a signature campaign supporting Seguro.
Some conservative supporters have expressed reluctance in their backing. Lisbon’s center-right mayor, Carlos Moedas, told the Portuguese publication Expresso that he would vote for Seguro because the socialist candidate “does not believe in dividing people.”
While media attention has focused on Seguro’s conservative support, experts believe it may not be as impactful as anticipated. They argue that some far-right candidates are not well-known or have been sidelined. Opposition liberal leaders are aware of this and are projecting it accordingly.
The campaign for the second round has been curtailed due to two major storms, leading to a state of emergency declared until February 15. Ventura has called for the voting to be postponed by a week, labeling it a matter of “equality among all Portuguese.” However, the national election authority rejected his request, clarifying that voting will proceed as scheduled.
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