Catarina Martins lamented the result of her candidacy and the “radicalisation of the right” in Portugal. The candidate backed by the Left Bloc called for a vote for António José Seguro in the second round, as a response to the “reconfiguration and trumpisation”.
"I didn't achieve what I wanted" — Catarina Martins urges vote for Seguro
Sunday, 18 January 2026RSS
Context & Explainers
- Leader: Currently vacant (Mariana Mortágua resigned October 2025)
- Ideology: Democratic socialism, left-wing populism
The Left Bloc achieved its worst result in history in 2025, dropping from 5 seats to just 1. Mariana Mortágua, who led the party from May 2023, resigned in October 2025 after failing to reverse the party's electoral decline. Founded in 1999 as a coalition of far-left parties, BE was once the third-largest force in Portuguese politics and a key partner in the 2015-2019 Geringonça government.
