The liberal presidential candidate, João Cotrim de Figueiredo, voted in Lisbon accompanied by his family. Speaking to journalists, he said he is confident he will secure a good result to advance to the second round and appealed to the Portuguese to go to the polls so they 'do not let others choose for them'.
Optimism and confidence. Cotrim votes hopeful of 'a large fall in abstention'
Sunday, 18 January 2026RSS
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Context & Explainers
Abstention is when eligible voters choose not to vote; it is usually reported as the percentage of registered voters who do not cast a ballot. A falling abstention rate can change electoral outcomes and boost the perceived legitimacy of the result, so a predicted drop — including among younger voters — matters for how parties and candidates plan campaigning and turnout efforts.
