Portugal: presidential election goes to run-off
For the first time in 40 years, the Portuguese presidential election will go into a second round. On 8 February, the socialist candidate António José Seguro (31 percent) will face off against the right-wing populist André Ventura (23.5 percent). The candidate of the ruling conservative PSD party came in fifth in the first round of voting on Sunday. Portuguese media take stock.
Victory for a united left
Left-wing voters have united behind Seguro despite all the differences of opinion, praises São José Almeida, senior editor at Público:
“Left-wing voters seem to be more sensible in their political decisions, more intelligent even, than most of the leaders of the left-wing parties, who insisted on balkanising the election campaign by fielding a multitude of minor candidates and showing themselves completely incapable of understanding what was at stake. I repeat: left-wing voters have managed to unite at a decisive moment for the Portuguese left. They have learned how to resist.”
Put Ventura in his place
The only question now is by how wide a margin the favourite Seguro will win the runoff election against Ventura, writes Expresso:
“António José Seguro is practically already president. Even so, he needs to do his utmost to achieve a clear victory and keep the number of votes for his opponent as low as possible. Because a country in which André Ventura obtains a substantial share of the vote in the second round of the presidential election will no longer be the same country we know today. ... Seguro has the left in his pocket. ... So he needs to appeal to the centre and the right in a moderate, comprehensive and inclusive manner in order to avoid losing votes to André Ventura. Given his profile, if anyone can do this, it's António José Seguro.”
PM must distance himself from far right
Conservative Prime Minister Luís Montenegro is refusing to endorse the social democratic candidate Seguro. This could prove to be a serious mistake, Visão believes:
“By not endorsing any candidate for the second round, Montenegro is seeking to distance himself from what will be the most important decision for the country in the years to come. If he maintains this position, he will ultimately give André Ventura what he wants most (and what he is already boasting about): leadership of the right in Portugal. If Luís Montenegro sticks to his current stance, he will miss the opportunity to stress what is particularly important in the current global situation: that there is a significant difference between the right and the far right that must not be obscured.”