With the counting of 99% of the poll papers accomplished, the primary spherical of the presidential elections in Portugal has concluded. The winner is the socialist António José Seguro, with 31.1%; in second place comes the chief of the sovereignist ultra-right, André Ventura, with 23.5%.
Voter turnout was 52%, the best in 15 years in a presidential election. The poll will happen on February eighth. Already round midnight, as soon as the video games had been over, the 2 most voted candidates spoke from the workplaces of their electoral committees. “The Portuguese gave us the leadership of the national right,” André Ventura mentioned in his speech. “The fight starts in half an hour and it will be a fight of the non-socialist space against the socialist space in Portugal.”
António José Seguro, in thanking all of the Portuguese citizens and the candidates who didn’t advance to the second spherical, then wished to greet the “plural” Portugal and underline the unbiased nature of his candidacy: “I am free and without ties. I invite all democratic and humanitarian people to join us to defeat all together those who sow hatred”
The conservative Prime Minister, Luís Montenegro, spoke to the media admitting the defeat of the candidate supported by the governing coalition, Luís Marques Mendes. Montenegro has introduced that the Social Democratic Party (PSD) won’t give any indication of its vote. “There will be no political space for the PSD in the second round,” mentioned the prime minister, “so we will not issue any voting indications.” “We accept the choice with democratic humility”, mentioned Montenegro, whose vote declaration was eagerly awaited, and “we will respect the will of the Portuguese: the PSD has been chosen to govern and that is what we will do in the next three weeks and in the next few years”.
https://www.ilsole24ore.com/art/presidenziali-portogallo-socialista-seguro-311percento-sovranista-ventura-235percento-AIHMWDw