Portugal began voting on Sunday to choose the next President of the Republic. Around 200,000 voters registered for early voting, a moment that officially marks the start of the most unpredictable elections in recent years.
This is how voting began for the most unpredictable presidential election in recent years
Sunday, 11 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.
