Catarina Martins accepts the defeat and a result “well below what she had expected.” The former leader of the Left Bloc speaks of a “radicalised right, in reconfiguration and Trumpisation” and says the only “appropriate response is to vote for António José Seguro in the second round, with eyes wide open.” See the full speech here.
Catarina Martins: "Result shows a right wing in reconfiguration and Trumpisation. The appropriate response is to 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.
- The President of Portugal (From March 9 2026)
- Party: Independent. Former leader of Socialist Party (PS) Partido Socialista
- Center left
Background:
António José Martins Seguro (born March 11, 1962, in Penamacor) is a lawyer, political scientist, and Socialist Party politician running for president in Portugal's January 18, 2026 election. He led Socialist Youth (1990-1994), served as MEP (1999-2001), was Minister Adjunct to PM António Guterres (2001-2002), and led the PS parliamentary group (2004-2005). Elected PS Secretary-General in 2011 with 68%, he led the opposition during Portugal's bailout era. In 2014, António Costa defeated him in party primaries by a landslide, prompting Seguro's resignation and decade-long retreat from politics. He returned in 2025, launching the movement UPortugal and announcing his presidential candidacy in June. He received official PS backing in October 2025. Political Philosophy:
Seguro positions himself as representing a "modern and moderate" left, offering a progressive alternative to conservative candidates. He advocates for "financial responsibility but critical of austerity," attempting to reposition the PS at center-left. His campaign emphasizes institutional trust, efficient governance, and hope for a better future.
Socialist Party (PS)
- Leader: José Luís Carneiro (since June 2025)
- Ideology: Center-left, Social democracy, pro-Europeanism
Portugal's other traditional major party suffered a historic collapse in the 2025 election, dropping from 78 to 58 seats and falling to third place for the first time in democratic history. The party was led by Pedro Nuno Santos from January 2024 until his resignation following the May 2025 defeat. José Luís Carneiro, a 53-year-old former Minister of Internal Administration known for his moderate positioning within the party, was elected unopposed as the new Secretary-General with 95% of votes in June 2025. The Socialist Party governed Portugal from 2015 to 2024, including an absolute majority from 2022 to 2024 under António Costa, who resigned in November 2023 amid a corruption investigation. The PS previously led the innovative "Geringonça" (contraption) coalition government from 2015-2019, a minority government supported by the Left Bloc and Portuguese Communist Party that reversed austerity measures and presided over economic recovery.
