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Portugal elects Socialist as president by landslide, but far right grows
Antonio José Seguro won nearly 67% of votes to secure the presidency, while far-right candidate André Ventura increased support to about 33%, reflecting rising far-right influence.
- On Feb 8, Moderate Socialist António José Seguro secured a landslide victory and five-year presidential term, defeating far-right André Ventura in Portugal's runoff.
- Seen as a mediator and defender of democratic values, Seguro received backing from prominent conservatives after the first round, amid worries about Ventura's populist tendencies.
- With nearly 70 per cent counted, two exit polls placed Seguro at 67-73 percent and Ventura at 27-33 percent, with ballots in Lisbon and Porto counted late.
- Though largely ceremonial, Portugal's presidency can dissolve parliament and block legislation; the new president will succeed Marcelo Rebelo de Sousa in early March, while Prime Minister Luís Montenegro declined to endorse either candidate.
- Yet Ventura's showing highlights his 34 percent, up from Chega's 22.8 percent in last year's general election, marking the first extreme-right run-off and growing far-right influence in Portugal and Europe.
29 Articles
29 Articles
Lessons From Portugal For European Conservatives
By Jordan Embree via The Daily Signal | February 09, 2026 When an election produces results not seen in decades, it is a shock to the system. Andre Ventura’s second-place finish in the first round of the Portuguese presidential election was just such a shock. The leader of the national populist Chega party broke through the previous duopoly of the Social Democratic Party and the Socialist Party. This result forced a surprise matchup against the …
Portugal Elects Socialist António José Seguro
Socialist António José Seguro triumphed over his far-right rival in Portugal’s presidential election on Sunday. Seguro won 66.8% of the vote compared to André Ventura of the far-right Chega party with 33.2%. Seguro will replace outgoing president Marcelo Rebelo de Sousa after a race marked by a cross-party effort to prevent the far-right candidate from succeeding. Responding to his victory, Seguro said: “The response the Portuguese people gave…
In the face of climate catastrophe, Portugal mobilizes vote against the far right
António José Seguro was elected President of the Republic of Portugal on Sunday with 67% of the vote, comfortably beating the neo-fascist candidate he faced in the second round, André Ventura (33%). IVP613 - February 2026 / Portugal
Victor Pereira, historian: 'It is clear that far-right ideas have become normalized in Portugal'
OP-ED. The left-wing candidate, Antonio José Seguro, won the second round of Portugal's presidential election on February 8. However, his opponent, André Ventura, who comes from a populist party, succeeded in bringing far-right themes into the Portuguese public debate, notes historian Victor Pereira in an op-ed for Le Monde.
Portugal elects Socialist as president by landslide, but far right grows
Moderate Socialist Antonio Jose Seguro secured a landslide victory and a five-year term as Portugal's president in a runoff vote on Sunday, beating his far-right, anti-establishment rival Andre Ventura.
Portuguese Right Buoyed by Increasing Support and Confident It Can Win Future Election
André Ventura, Portugal’s right-wing nationalist politician whom the establishment media predictably dubs “far-right,” is not moping over Socialist António José Seguro’s presidential election win over the weekend. Instead, he and his supporters are keen to highlight the advancements of his Chega party, and insist that even if not now, “soon, we will govern this country!” URGENTE – Deputado André Ventura se pronuncia após perder eleição presidenc…
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