Lisbon: Centre-left candidate Antonio Jose Seguro won a decisive victory over far-right challenger Andre Ventura in Portugal’s presidential run-off, despite the disruption caused by devastating storms across the country.
With more than 99 percent of ballots counted, Seguro secured 66.8 percent of the vote, leaving Ventura with 33.2 percent. The 63-year-old Socialist veteran will succeed conservative Marcelo Rebelo de Sousa as Portugal’s president in early March.
“The winners tonight are the Portuguese people and democracy,” Seguro said, pledging to serve as a leader for “all Portuguese.” Ventura, 43, conceded defeat but hailed his party’s historic gains, stating that, “We lead the right in Portugal, and we will soon govern this country.”
The election campaign was overshadowed by two weeks of fierce storms that killed at least seven people and caused an estimated four billion euros in damage. Around 20 of the worst-hit constituencies postponed voting by a week, though most of the 11 million eligible voters went to the polls.
Far-right Ventura, the first extreme-right candidate to reach a presidential runoff in Portugal, had criticized the government’s handling of the storms and unsuccessfully called for a full postponement of the election.
Seguro, a former Socialist Party leader and long-time advocate of a ‘modern and moderate left,’ began his campaign without full backing from his party’s leadership. Over time, however, he won support from figures across the political spectrum. Exit polls had credited him with around 67 percent of voting intentions.
In the first round of voting in January, Seguro led with 31.1 percent, ahead of Ventura’s 23.5 percent. Many political figures from the far left, center, and right rallied behind Seguro in the run-off, though Prime Minister Luis Montenegro did not endorse either candidate.
International leaders welcomed Seguro’s victory. European Commission President Ursula von der Leyen said Portugal had demonstrated its commitment to shared European values, while French President Emmanuel Macron expressed hope for strengthened ties between the two countries.
Ventura’s Chega (Enough) party, founded in 2019, quickly became the leading opposition force in Portugal after the May 2025 general election. While largely a ceremonial role, the presidency gives Seguro powers such as the ability to dissolve parliament and call early elections.
