Portugal historic presidential runoff today

 

Centre-left candidate expected to see off far right as Portugal votes in presidential runoff

In today's historic presidential runoff on February 8, 2026, center-left Socialist candidate António José Seguro is heavily favored to win against far-right populist André Ventura.

 

Key details of the ongoing election include:

Candidates: The runoff features António José Seguro (Socialist Party), who led the first round with 31.1% of the vote, and André Ventura (Chega), who secured 23.5%.

Polling Projections: Recent surveys by the Catholic University of Portugal suggest Seguro could win up to 70% of the vote compared to Ventura’s 30%.

Significance: This is Portugal's first presidential runoff in 40 years. While the presidency is largely ceremonial, the office holds the "atomic bomb" power to dissolve parliament and call early elections.

Storm Delays: Severe winter weather and flooding forced at least 14 constituencies to postpone voting by one week, though the government rejected Ventura’s call for a nationwide delay.

Timeline: Polling stations close at 7:00 PM (Mainland) or 8:00 PM (Azores). Exit polls are expected at 8:00 PM GMT, with official results likely by 11:00 PM GMT.

Check for live updates on the Comissão Nacional de Eleições (CNE) official site or major news outlets like Reuters and Euronews.