Portugal returns to the polls this Sunday, February 8, to hold a presidential second round, a scenario that has not occurred for four decades. Citizens will choose Marcelo Rebelo de Sousa's successor between the moderate socialist António José Seguro and the leader of the extreme right, André Ventura, who seeks to consolidate the rise of his party, Chega, and his anti-system discourse in the face of polls that do not favor him. Election day is, however, conditioned by Storm Marta, whose floods will prevent some 37,000 people from exercising their right to vote.

First modification: 02/08/2026 - 15:17 Last modification: 02/08/2026 - 15:23

More than 11 million Portuguese are called to the polls this February 8 to elect the successor of President Marcelo Rebelo de Sousa, who cannot run for re-election after completing two consecutive terms.

The moderate socialist Antonio José Seguro arrives victorious in the first round, with 31.1% of the votes. His rival, the far-right André Ventura, took second place with 23.5% of the votes, a year after his anti-establishment party, Chega, became the main opposition party in Parliament.

The disenchantment of voters with traditional parties and the rise of the extreme right have shaped an unprecedented electoral panorama in Portugal, which since 1986 has not gone to the polls for a second presidential round. None of the 11 candidates concentrated more than half of the votes in the first round, in a sign of the polarization that the country is experiencing.

Although the president plays a role as important as that of the prime minister, his powers include, in some circumstances, dissolving parliament and calling for early parliamentary elections. The president can also block laws, but parliament can override the veto.

Ventura has stated that he would be a more "interventionist" president, advocating for greater powers for the head of state.

Citizens in Portugal are summoned to vote in the midst of an intense storm due to the passage of successive storms Marta, Leonardo and Kristin which, since January 28, have caused seven deaths, of which six were indirect: people who fell from roofs during repairs, according to the National Emergency and Civil Protection Authority.

Consequently, 36,852 voters will not be able to vote this Sunday in the towns of Alcácer do Sal, Arruda dos Vinhos and Golegã, heavily affected by the floods, where they have decided to delay the elections for a week, until February 15.

It has also been decided to postpone the vote in some voting assemblies in Santarém, Rio Maior, Leiria, Cartaxo and Salvaterra de Magos.

Voter turnout in the first round was 52%, the highest in a presidential election in 15 years.

Socialist vs. radical right

Before launching his presidential candidacy in June 2025, Antonio José Seguro had retired from institutional politics after losing the leadership of the Socialist Party (PS) in 2014 to Antonio Costa, who served as prime minister between 2015 and 2024.

After returning to the electoral arena, it presents itself as a "modern and moderate" alternative, amid the notable advance of more radical positions. His name has led to campaign slogans such as "safe vote" and "secure future."

The PS has led the largest number of governments since the fall of the dictatorship in 1974, alternating with the center-right Social Democratic Party, currently ruling.

Surely he called on voters to vote this Saturday, despite the bad weather.

"Do not let them choose for you, let them be the Portuguese, leave home and come to talk. Vote, vote, vote, vote, vote. That is the best tribute that can be paid to democracy and our Republic," he stressed from his voting station in Caldas da Rainha, about 90 kilometers north of Lisbon.

Asked by the press about the possibility that the ravages of the storm fuel abstentionism, the candidate chose not to comment on the situation until there is a statistical measurement after the polls close, scheduled for 7:00 p.m. (local time in mainland Portugal).

It is expected that the preliminary official results will begin to be published at 8:00 p.m. and that at the end of the day the name of the next president will be known, regardless of the voting next week in the towns affected by the intense storm, whose figure is not enough to be representative to change the trend.

Seguro explained that, until the results are known, he will spend the day "normally", with a family meal, before "preparing" for the election night at the Caldas da Rainha Cultural Center.

Recent polls, particularly those by the CESOP opinion polling and study center of the Portuguese Catholic University, give Seguro more than 50% of the votes, approximately double that of Ventura.

After the first round, the moderate socialist received the endorsement of the majority of the first round candidates, cabinet members and many high-ranking legislators of the ruling alliance.

He was even supported by prominent conservatives who say they are concerned about what many consider Ventura's populist and anti-democratic tendencies. However, center-right Prime Minister Luis Montenegro has refused to support any of the second-round candidates.

Ventura is a 43-year-old former television sports commentator and lawyer by profession, who founded the Chega party seven years ago with promises to combat corruption and immigration.

He promotes himself as the candidate to combat what he calls decades of corruption in traditional parties. He wants to reform the Constitution and give more powers to the president, but he will have to overcome the rejection of two-thirds of the citizens who, according to polls, would never vote for him.

The leader of Chega seeks to consolidate the growth of the far-right - on the rise throughout Europe - after in May 2025 the anti-system and anti-immigration party became the main opposition force in the parliamentary elections, in which it obtained 22.8% of the votes.

With information from EFE and Reuters

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