Raimundo also rejected the idea that the second round of the presidential election, to be held on 8 February, is a 'hypothetical battle between left and right', arguing that for that to be the case 'there would have to be a left‑wing candidate in the second round'.
PCP urges vote for Seguro to prevent André Ventura's election: 'Without harbouring any illusions'
Tuesday, 20 January 2026RSS
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.
Chega ("Enough") is a Portuguese far-right populist party founded in 2019 by André Ventura. It positions itself as an anti-establishment movement against what it calls a "rotten and corrupt system" of PS-PSD dominance. The party surged from 1.3% in 2019 to 22.8% in May 2025, becoming parliament's second-largest force with 60 seats. Chega's core platform emphasizes strict immigration control—ending automatic CPLP residency, deporting non-independent immigrants, implementing job-market quotas, and requiring five-year social security contributions before benefit access. It advocates radical constitutional reform, including reducing parliament to 100 members, abolishing the prime minister position for a presidential system, and dismantling public healthcare. Law-and-order policies include life imprisonment and chemical castration proposals.
The party is defined by inflammatory anti-Romani rhetoric, with Ventura convicted multiple times for discrimination. Chega maintains international alignments with European far-right figures including Marine Le Pen, Santiago Abascal, and Matteo Salvini. Mainstream Portuguese parties, including Prime Minister Luís Montenegro's government, have imposed a cordon sanitaire, refusing coalition with Chega despite its parliamentary strength.
AI Summary AvailableSeguro and Ventura advance to Presidential run offRead the synthesized summary with context and explainers
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Other news coverage of this topic
- The frontist gambit12:31am, 21 Jan 2026 • Correio da Manhã
- PCP urges vote for Seguro to prevent André Ventura being elected10:16pm, 20 Jan 2026 • RTP Notícias
- The targets of Seguro and Ventura9:30pm, 20 Jan 2026 • Público
- It looks like André Ventura is a bit jealous7:25pm, 20 Jan 2026 • CNN Portugal
- PCP urges vote for Seguro to block Ventura7:24pm, 20 Jan 2026 • Observador
