In the second round of Portugal's presidential elections, leftist candidate A. J. Seguro emerged victorious against far-right candidate A. Ventura, amidst significant disruptions caused by severe storms.
The second round of the Portuguese presidential elections concluded with leftist candidate A. J. Seguro defeating far-right representative A. Ventura. After counting over 99% of the votes, Seguro received 66.8% of the votes compared to Ventura's 33.2%. This outcome indicates a significant shift in Portugal's political landscape, as Seguro, a 63-year-old socialist, is set to replace the conservative Marcelo Rebelo de Sousa as president.
The electoral campaign faced unprecedented challenges due to severe storms that raged across the country, resulting in at least seven fatalities and damage estimated at around four billion euros. These weather conditions notably affected the voting process, with around 20 of the most impacted districts forced to postpone voting by a week. Nonetheless, voting proceeded for nearly all of Portugal's 11 million eligible voters, both domestically and abroad.
European Commission President Ursula von der Leyen and French President Emmanuel Macron promptly congratulated Seguro on his victory, underscoring the significance of the election results for democracy in Portugal. Seguro's win reflects not only local political dynamics but also the broader European trend towards leftist governance amidst various socio-economic challenges.
