Seguro Wins Portuguese Presidency in Decisive Run-off Victory
Feb 9, 2026: António José Seguro of Portugal’s centre-left Socialist Party has won the country’s presidential election by a wide margin, securing a five-year term after defeating far-right challenger André Ventura in Sunday’s run-off vote.
According to partial official results, with around 95 percent of ballots counted, Seguro, 63, captured roughly 66 percent of the vote, while Ventura received about 34 percent.
Exit polls released earlier in the day had projected a similar outcome, placing Seguro’s support between 67 and 73 percent.
Despite severe weather conditions in recent days, voter participation remained close to the level recorded in the first round held on January 18.
Although flooding forced three municipal councils in central and southern Portugal to delay voting by a week, the affected electorate—around 37,000 voters—represents a small fraction of the national total and is not expected to alter the final result.
Ventura, leader of the anti-immigration Chega party, significantly improved on his party’s performance in last year’s general election, where it won 22.8 percent of the vote.
At 43, the former television sports commentator has become the most successful far-right presidential candidate in Portugal’s democratic history, marking the first time an extreme-right figure advanced to a presidential run-off.
During the campaign, Ventura criticised the government’s handling of recent storms and floods and called for a nationwide postponement of the election, a demand rejected by authorities. Seguro, meanwhile, accused his opponent of attempting to discourage voter participation.
Although the Portuguese presidency is largely ceremonial, the office carries important constitutional powers, including the authority to dissolve parliament and call early elections in specific circumstances.
Seguro presented himself throughout the campaign as a “modern and moderate” left-wing leader capable of easing political tensions and safeguarding democratic institutions.
He also received support from several prominent conservatives following the first round, amid concerns over Ventura’s populist rhetoric and hardline positions.
Prime Minister Luís Montenegro, whose minority centre-right government depends on parliamentary backing from either the Socialists or Chega, chose not to publicly endorse either candidate in the run-off.
Seguro is set to take office in early March, succeeding outgoing conservative president Marcelo Rebelo de Sousa.
