In the first round of the elections, Seguro also took the lead, receiving 31.1% of the votes, while Ventura garnered 23.52%. Now, Seguro will become the first socialist president of Portugal in the last two decades. Ursula von der Leyen, the head of the European Commission, congratulated him on his success and noted that Portugal's support for common European values remains high.
Despite André Ventura's significant loss in votes, his result was the most successful in the history of his party, which was founded only in 2019. Ventura, despite the defeat, congratulated his opponent and stated that the right-wing forces in the country continue to strengthen their positions and will soon be able to come to power.
The President of Portugal is elected for a term of five years, and although his functions are mainly representative, he has the authority to appoint the Prime Minister, veto legislation, and dissolve parliament.
The second round of the elections took place against the backdrop of the aftermath of Hurricane "Kristin," which struck Portugal at the end of January, resulting in the deaths of six people and leaving hundreds of thousands of residents without electricity.
In Ventura's electoral program, the focus was on tightening immigration policy, while Seguro emphasized that migration is an economic necessity, although he acknowledged the need for improved regulation in this area.
