Portugal holds second round of presidential election today

Portugal’s Presidential Election Sees High Voter Turnout Amid Stormy Weather

Voting in Portugal’s second round of elections began on Sunday at 9am local time (09:00 GMT), with 11 million eligible voters casting their ballots for the presidential election. The contest pits Socialist Party leader Antonio Jose Seguro against Andre Ventura, leader of the nationalist party Chega. According to exit polls, expected by around 9pm local time (21:00 GMT), and official results likely by midnight local time (00:00 GMT), Seguro is leading with 31.1 percent of the vote, while Ventura has secured 23.5 percent.

The far-right candidate’s performance will be closely monitored despite being considered unlikely to win. The outcome of the election will determine who will assume the ceremonial role of president. Meanwhile, severe storms and flooding continue to affect the country, with at least seven people killed and damage estimated at €4 billion ($4.7bn). Despite this, Prime Minister Luis Montenegro has rejected Ventura’s call to postpone the entire vote.

The last presidential election took place five years ago, during the coronavirus pandemic, when outgoing President Marcelo Rebelo de Sousa told Ventura on Friday that voting had proceeded as scheduled. The stormy weather has caused disruptions, with 14 constituencies postponing voting for nearly 32,000 people by one week.

Source: Al Jazeera