LISBON — Socialist Party candidate António José Seguro has secured a landslide victory and a five-year term as Portugal’s president in a run-off vote beating far-right rival André Ventura in Sunday’s Portuguese presidential election, according to official results with 99% of votes counted. Seguro, 63,becomes the first president from the socialist camp in 20 years and now returns to the forefront of national politics. In his victory speech, he promised to be a demanding and vigilant president, but never a counter-power.“I promised loyalty and institutional cooperation with the government, and I will keep my word. I will never be a counter-power, but I will be a president who is demanding when it comes to solutions and results,” said Seguro.Seguro secured a five-year term in Lisbon with 66.7% of the vote, compared with 33.3% for Ventura’s Chega party. The new Socialist leader campaigned as a moderate candidate and pledged cooperation with Portugal’s center-right minority government, rejecting Ventura’s anti-establishment and anti-immigrant rhetoric.While the role is largely ceremonial, the head of state has the power to dissolve parliament and call early elections.The new president will succeed outgoing conservative Marcelo Rebelo de Sousa in early March.André Ventura knew from the outset the night would not end in victory. Still, he recorded his strongest result to date, with Chega surpassing one and a half million votes for the first time. André Ventura said he feels strengthened after election night. He claims to be the leader of an unstoppable movement that, sooner or later, will succeed in transforming Portugal, in the name of the people, against the elites.Eleven million people in Portugal and abroad were eligible to cast their ballots in the election. — Agencies
Keep Up to Date with our Weekly Newsletter
