Portugal holds a presidential runoff on Feb. 8 between moderate Socialist Antonio Jose Seguro and far‑right Chega leader Andre Ventura after no candidate won a majority in the Jan. 18 first round. Seguro led the opening round with just over 31% and is favored in polls, while Ventura won 23.5%; turnout was about 52%, the highest in 15 years. Though largely ceremonial, the presidency can dissolve parliament and call snap elections—making this race politically consequential.
Portugal Presidential Runoff: Seguro Faces Far‑Right Challenger Ventura on Feb. 8
FILE PHOTO: Portuguese presidential candidate and leader of Chega party Andre Ventura votes during the presidential election, in Lisbon, Portugal, January 18, 2026. REUTERS/Pedro Nunes/File Photo
Portugal will hold a presidential runoff on February 8 that pits moderate Socialist Antonio Jose Seguro against Andre Ventura, leader of the far‑right Chega party, which emerged last year as the main opposition force in parliament.
The second round is the fifth nationwide ballot since 2024 and the country's first presidential runoff in roughly four decades, after none of the 11 first‑round candidates on January 18 secured an outright majority. The result underscored the fragmentation of Portugal's political landscape.
First Round Results
Seguro, 63, finished top in the January 18 first round with just over 31% of the vote. Ventura, 43, took 23.5%, while Joao Cotrim de Figueiredo of the pro‑business Liberal Initiative placed third with about 16%. Turnout was approximately 52%, the highest for a presidential contest in 15 years.
Who Are The Candidates?
Antonio Jose Seguro
Seguro returned to the national stage after stepping back from frontline politics following his 2014 loss of the Socialist Party (PS) leadership to Antonio Costa. He presents himself as a modern, moderate left‑wing candidate who can mediate political crises and defend democratic norms against rising far‑right populism. His campaign has leaned on wordplay around his surname, which translates as "safe," with slogans such as "safe vote" and "safe future."
Andre Ventura
Ventura is a former TV sports commentator and trained lawyer who founded Chega about seven years ago. He led the party to become the second‑largest force in parliament last year on promises to fight corruption and reduce immigration. Ventura describes himself as an "interventionist president" and has proposed constitutional changes to expand presidential powers.
What Powers Does The President Have?
Portugal's presidency is largely ceremonial but includes consequential powers: the president can dissolve parliament and call snap legislative elections in times of crisis, and can veto legislation (a veto that parliament can subsequently override). Outgoing conservative President Marcelo Rebelo de Sousa, in office since 2016, is constitutionally barred from seeking a third consecutive term and used the dissolution power to call snap elections in 2021, 2023 and 2025.
Endorsements, Polls And The Stakes
Most eliminated first‑round candidates, several cabinet ministers and senior figures from the ruling alliance have backed Seguro as a bulwark against a Ventura presidency. Centre‑right Prime Minister Luis Montenegro has declined to endorse either candidate.
Recent opinion polls project a clear lead for Seguro, typically placing him in the mid‑50s (50%–60%) depending on how undecided voters are allocated, while Ventura is generally projected in the low‑to‑mid 20s (20%–30%). Polls and endorsements suggest Seguro is the favorite, but the runoff outcome will determine who holds the influential—even if mostly ceremonial—presidential office at a volatile moment in Portuguese politics.
Why It Matters: The president’s power to dissolve parliament and call snap elections makes this contest more than symbolic. A Ventura victory would mark a major shift in Portugal’s post‑dictatorship political landscape; a Seguro win would be framed as a check on the far right.
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