The Portuguese electorate has delivered a decisive blow to the far right, electing veteran Socialist Antonio Jose Seguro after a storm-hit campaign.
Portugal has elected a new president, following a campaign shaped as much by extreme weather as by politics, with centre-left veteran Antonio Jose Seguro winning a decisive run-off victory over far-right challenger Andre Ventura.
With more than 99 percent of ballots counted on Sunday, Seguro secured just under 67 percent of the vote, comfortably ahead of Ventura on just over 33 percent.
The result means the 63-year-old Socialist will succeed conservative incumbent Marcelo Rebelo de Sousa, whose second and final term ends later this year.
European leaders were quick to welcome the outcome.
European Commission president Ursula von der Leyen said Portugal had shown that support for shared European values remained strong, while French President Emmanuel Macron congratulated Seguro and said he hoped to strengthen ties between the two countries.
Portugal votes in presidential election battered by deadly storms
Storm-hit campaign tests democracy
The presidential contest unfolded against the backdrop of two weeks of violent storms that battered Portugal, killing at least seven people and causing an estimated four billion euros in damage.
Flooding and power cuts disrupted daily life across wide areas of the country and inevitably upended the election campaign.
In around 20 of the worst-affected constituencies, voting was postponed by a week, though the election went ahead for the vast majority of Portugal’s nearly 11 million eligible voters, including those living abroad.
Ventura, leader of the Chega party, criticised the government’s handling of the crisis and unsuccessfully called for the entire vote to be delayed.
Despite the disruption, turnout held up well. As results came in, Seguro struck a conciliatory tone. “The winners tonight are the Portuguese people and democracy,” he said, pledging to serve as a president for all Portuguese.
Ventura conceded defeat but highlighted what he described as a historic result for his party. Addressing supporters, the 43-year-old said Chega now led the Portuguese right and would one day govern the country.
Veteran returns as the far right advances
Seguro’s victory marks a significant political comeback. A long-time Socialist and former party leader, he began his career in the party’s youth wing and rose steadily through its ranks.
In 2014, he lost an internal power struggle and was pushed out as secretary general by Antonio Costa, who later became prime minister and is now president of the European Council.
For much of the past decade, Seguro remained largely out of the public eye, though he continued to argue for what he has called a modern and moderate left. He launched his presidential bid without the initial backing of the Socialist Party leadership, but most senior figures gradually rallied behind him as his poll numbers improved.
Portugal marks 50 years of democracy with far right on rise
Casting his ballot in Caldas da Rainha, where he lives, Seguro urged voters to take advantage of a brief lull in the storms. “Come and vote. Make the most of this window of good weather,” he said.
Ventura campaigned on a promise to break with what he described as the parties that have governed Portugal for the past 50 years. In the January first round, contested by 11 candidates, Seguro finished first with over 31 percent – ahead of Ventura on 23.5 percent – making him the first far-right candidate to reach a presidential run-off in Portugal.
Since then, Chega – only founded in 2019 – has continued its rapid rise, becoming the leading opposition force at the May 2025 general election.
Prime Minister Luis Montenegro, whose minority centre-right government depends on support from either the Socialists or Chega, declined to endorse either candidate.
(with newswires)
