Portugal Sets First Presidential Runoff in 40 Years as Seguro Leads Ventura

Overview

• With 99.6% of ballots counted, António José Seguro has 31.14% and André Ventura 23.48%, with João Cotrim Figueiredo at 15.99%.
• A record 11 candidates fragmented the vote, breaking four decades of first-round presidential victories.
• Immigration dominated the campaign, and courts ordered the removal of xenophobic posters targeting Roma and Bangladeshi immigrants.
• Surveys indicate Ventura faces high rejection and would likely trail Seguro in a head‑to‑head runoff.
• The presidency is mostly ceremonial but carries veto power and the authority to dissolve Parliament, underscoring the race’s institutional stakes.