PCP leader highlighted the role of the President of the Republic in 'ensuring the Constitution is upheld'. He also thanked all the staff working to ensure the democratic process proceeds normally.
'It's a happy day': Paulo Raimundo has already voted in Alhos Vedros
Sunday, 18 January 2026RSS
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Context & Explainers
Emigrant voting lets Portuguese citizens living abroad cast ballots in national elections, usually by mail or at consulates. With several hundred thousand registered overseas voters, their turnout and geographic distribution can be decisive in close presidential contests, so candidates often campaign to win votes in key emigrant communities.
Remote voting means casting a ballot without being physically present at a polling station, using methods such as postal ballots, proxy voting or internet/telephone systems. In the current presidential vote context many Portuguese abroad had to travel to consulates because remote options weren’t available, so voters living overseas should check well before election day which methods (if any) apply to them and how to register.
Tactical voting means choosing a less-preferred candidate to achieve a strategic outcome—for example concentrating support to ensure a preferred candidate reaches the second round (segunda volta) or to block a rival. Party leaders urge it when they want to avoid splitting votes among similar candidates and increase the chance of a favourable runoff result.
The PCP is the Portuguese Communist Party (Partido Comunista Português), a historic left-wing party founded in 1921. It remains influential in some trade unions and local councils, usually wins single-digit percentages in national elections, and often runs as part of the CDU coalition with the Greens. Voters and those tracking coalition-building should note the PCP’s capacity to mobilise grassroots support and influence left-wing alliances.
