The Socialist Party candidate (center-left), Antonio José Seguro, has been declared the winner of the second round of Portugal’s presidential election, according to data from the Portuguese Ministry of Interior, which reported that 99% of the ballots have already been counted, media outlets reported on Monday.
So far, Seguro has secured 66.7% of the votes, while his opponent, André Ventura, far-right Chega party candidate, garnered 33.3% and acknowledged his defeat.
Outgoing President Marcelo Rebelo de Sousa announced that he called Seguro to congratulate him on his electoral victory. In a communiqué posted on the presidency’s website, de Sousa also stated he would receive Seguro, the winning candidate at Belém Palace Monday afternoon. Seguro, former Secretary-General of the Socialist Party (2011-2014), will officially take office on March 9th. Although the role of Portugal’s head of state is mainly symbolic, he is expected to act as an arbitrator in times of crisis and has the power to dissolve Parliament and call early legislative elections.
