Socialist António Seguro wins presidential election in Portugal

Portugal elected as president, this Sunday (8), the Socialist Party (PS) candidate, António José Seguro. With 99% of the ballots counted, he had 66.7% of the valid votes, against 33.3% for André Ventura, from Chega, an extreme right-wing party.

“The response that the Portuguese people gave today, their commitment to freedom, democracy and the future of our country, makes me naturally moved and proud of our nation,” Seguro told journalists before making an official statement.

Through social media, President Luiz Inácio Lula da Silva spoke shortly after confirming the result: “Congratulations to António José Seguro, president-elect of Portugal, for his significant victory at the polls this Sunday (8). In an election that took place peacefully and represents the victory of democracy at such an important moment for Europe and the world. And it consolidates Portugal’s position in support of the Mercosur-European Union agreement”.

Find out more: Portugal goes to the polls to elect president and isolate the far right

Lula went on to say that Brazil “will continue to work in partnership with the elected president and Prime Minister Luís Montenegro to strengthen historic bilateral relations between our countries, in defense of multilateralism and sustainable development”.

Although in Portugal the system is semi-presidential — in which the prime minister occupies the central Executive, while the president is the head of state and supreme commander of the Armed Forces — victory is essential to stop the advance of the extreme right.

The possibility of Ventura reaching the presidency caused political leaders of different stripes — from right to left — to support Seguro in the second round, to facilitate what political scientists call a “sanitary corridor”, the isolation of defeat for a candidate who poses risks to the country’s democracy.