António José Seguro and André Ventura faced off in the only televised head‑to‑head before the 8 February presidential run‑off in a 75‑minute debate broadcast on SIC, TVI and RTP (live coverage by Expresso). Seguro sought to present himself as “presidential material”, condemning the state of healthcare as “unacceptable”, while Ventura adopted a party‑leader posture, attacked Seguro as a “kind of Queen of England” and tried to tie him to the PS legacy. Despite their contrasting styles, both candidates united in rejecting the Government’s labour law, highlighting policy faultlines and the choice voters face for a more demanding presidency.
Seguro says the situation in healthcare is "unacceptable"; Ventura accuses opponent of being a "kind of Queen of England"
Context & Explainers

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.
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Other news coverage of this topic
- Cotrim Figueiredo suggests he will vote for Seguro in the run-off1:30am, 28 Jan 2026 • Correio da Manhã
- The full debate between André Ventura and António José Seguro1:18am, 28 Jan 2026 • CNN Portugal
- Who wants to be President?12:35am, 28 Jan 2026 • Público
- From the Seguro–Ventura debate only one certainty emerged: Montenegro will have a more 'demanding' President12:33am, 28 Jan 2026 • Expresso
- Seguro won the first debate against André Ventura. Yesterday, the same happened again.12:32am, 28 Jan 2026 • Correio da Manhã
- The Voice on the Ground12:30am, 28 Jan 2026 • Correio da Manhã
- Single head-to-head debate between the Socialist Party's legacy and 'right-wing primaries'12:24am, 28 Jan 2026 • Observador
- Misunderstanding?12:22am, 28 Jan 2026 • Observador
- Between Seguro, Ventura and Passos12:18am, 28 Jan 2026 • Observador
- António José Seguro is not a bad president12:13am, 28 Jan 2026 • Observador
- Health, immigration and what other Presidents said: the facts from the debate between Seguro and Ventura12:08am, 28 Jan 2026 • Público
- An (A)Ventura, an Insurance Policy and an Annulled Vote12:01am, 28 Jan 2026 • Observador
- Socialism or Freedom12:01am, 28 Jan 2026 • Observador
- António José Seguro is a guarantor of liberty, an heir to Mário Soares12:00am, 28 Jan 2026 • CNN Portugal
- 'Play it safe' or dare to change?12:00am, 28 Jan 2026 • Observador
- Debate between António José Seguro and André Ventura offers no surprises for the few undecided voters11:53pm, 27 Jan 2026 • Público
- In this election, André Ventura has definitively secured control of the right11:53pm, 27 Jan 2026 • CNN Portugal
- I heard António José Seguro say something I never thought I'd hear from him11:49pm, 27 Jan 2026 • CNN Portugal
- What The Polígrafo says about the Seguro vs. Ventura debate: Part 211:44pm, 27 Jan 2026 • CNN Portugal
- Who won the debate between André Ventura and António José Seguro?11:34pm, 27 Jan 2026 • Público
- "I don't agree with those who declared António José Seguro the winner": Rui Calafate examines the debate11:26pm, 27 Jan 2026 • CNN Portugal
- In the debate of 'mishmash politics', only rejection of the Government's labour law united Seguro and Ventura11:25pm, 27 Jan 2026 • Público
- The two moments when António José Seguro conducted mini-interviews with André Ventura11:24pm, 27 Jan 2026 • CNN Portugal
- André Ventura vs António José Seguro: listen here to the only debate of the presidential second round11:16pm, 27 Jan 2026 • Expresso
- Debate notes: Easy victory for Seguro over Ventura11:15pm, 27 Jan 2026 • Observador
- Nuno Afonso again refuses to vote for Ventura11:09pm, 27 Jan 2026 • Observador
- 2026 Presidential Election: Seguro beats Ventura in a familiar debate10:46pm, 27 Jan 2026 • ECO
- What Polígrafo says about the Seguro vs. Ventura debate: part 110:27pm, 27 Jan 2026 • CNN Portugal
- What Polígrafo says about the Seguro vs. Ventura debate10:27pm, 27 Jan 2026 • CNN Portugal
- Who won the big debate between António José Seguro and André Ventura? See the ratings from the CNN Portugal commentators10:23pm, 27 Jan 2026 • CNN Portugal
- Seguro won because everything stayed the same10:13pm, 27 Jan 2026 • Público
- Seguro criticises "hodgepodge policy" and Ventura leaves the debate "anguished": what was said in the final head-to-head8:32pm, 27 Jan 2026 • Correio da Manhã
- Seguro and Ventura agreed on labour law and health, and differed sharply on immigration, the constitution and justice8:31pm, 27 Jan 2026 • Dinheiro Vivo
- Seguro and Ventura separated by a sea of clicks and social media popularity8:30pm, 27 Jan 2026 • Público
- Health, labour law and immigration mark debate characterised by "patchwork politics"8:14pm, 27 Jan 2026 • Público
- Seguro wants to be 'president of all', Ventura the 'voice of those who have no voice'8:10pm, 27 Jan 2026 • ECO






