On Sunday, January 4, a two-week campaigning period officially began in Portugal ahead of the presidential elections scheduled for January 18. This year, a record number of candidates – 11 people – are vying for the head of state position, making a second round of voting almost inevitable. This is reported by AP, writes UNN.
Details
According to polls, none of the candidates currently have more than 50% support needed to win in the first round. The main struggle is unfolding between representatives of traditional political forces and new opinion leaders:
Luís Marques Mendes - candidate from the ruling center-right Social Democratic Party.
António José Seguro - representative of the center-left socialists.
André Ventura - leader of the right-wing populist party "Chega", which last year became the second largest force in parliament.
Henrique Gouveia e Melo - a retired rear admiral who gained popularity for successfully leading the country's vaccination campaign.
Features of the Portuguese electoral system
If no winner is determined on January 18, the two candidates with the highest results will face each other in a second round on February 8.
Although the president in Portugal does not have direct executive power, he plays a key role in maintaining political stability. The head of state has the right to veto laws and dissolve parliament in the event of a deep political crisis, which is a critically important tool for the country after a period of instability in recent years.