In the sole item on his Tuesday agenda, as he is due to take part in the debate with all candidates on RTP, Luís Marques Mendes visited the Torres Vedras Municipal Market, where he received praise and displays of support.
Mendes renews appeal to concentrate votes and says 'the polls don't tally with what's happening on the streets'
Tuesday, 6 January 2026RSS
Context & Explainers
- 2026 Presidential candidate
- Party: Social Democratic Party (PSD) Partido Social Democrata
- Lawyer, veteran center right politician
Luís Marques Mendes (born September 5, 1957, in Guimarães) is a lawyer and veteran centre-right politician running for Portugal's presidency in the January 18, 2026 election. A PSD member since 1975, he served across four constitutional governments spanning 13 years as Secretary of State and Minister under Prime Ministers Cavaco Silva and Durão Barroso, creating the Lusa News Agency and RTP Internacional. He led the PSD parliamentary group (1996-1999) and later served as party president (2005-2007), earning a reputation for ethical governance. After leaving politics, he worked as a lawyer at Abreu Advogados and became a prominent political commentator on SIC television. In 2026, backed by the ruling PSD and the allied CDS-PP, Mendes emerged as the centre-right establishment candidate. Recent polling shows him tied or leading first-round voting intention, and polls consistently indicate he is the most viable winner against other candidates in runoff scenarios, making him a strong contender.
