Government: Election campaign news in Portugal

Luís Montenegro, the leader of the social-democratic party PSD, has called for direct leadership elections in May and has invited anyone with an alternative vision to challenge him, implicitly addressing criticisms from former leader Passos Coelho. This move is interpreted by some as a sign of weakness within the party, as Montenegro seeks to counter Coelho's critiques and assert his leadership.

The return of former Prime Minister Passos Coelho to the political scene has generated significant excitement. Coelho has openly criticized his successor, Luís Montenegro, for failing to form a legislative agreement with Chega and IL, despite having a parliamentary majority. He suggests that an alliance with Chega could benefit the PSD, despite the party's historical stance against racist rhetoric. Coelho also questions Montenegro's commitment to reforms, highlighting his own past austerity measures that cut pensions and social support. His shifting positions raise concerns about his integrity and the authenticity of his reformist agenda.

Passos Coelho, the former Prime Minister of Portugal, is re-emerging in the political landscape, outlining his political program and expressing a desire to return to leadership. His straightforward approach and frugal lifestyle set him apart from other leaders, making him a significant figure within the Portuguese right. Despite his silence during recent elections, his influence remains strong, as right-wing candidates seek his endorsement. The current government's challenges, particularly in healthcare, labor law, and housing, highlight the need for genuine reforms, which may be a focal point for Coelho's potential return to power.

The article critiques Carlos Moedas for his political maneuvers, particularly his secretive agreement with the far-right party Chega, which contradicts his public image as a reformist. It highlights the lack of transparency in his dealings and the implications for his governance in Lisbon, emphasizing that he can no longer blame external factors for inaction. The piece calls for Moedas to focus on effective governance rather than personal political ambitions, as he now holds a majority that was not directly granted by the electorate.

In the second round of the presidential elections held last Sunday, voter turnout was recorded at 50%, with 5,519,808 out of 11,039,672 registered voters casting their votes. This marks a decrease in participation compared to the first round, where turnout was 52.26%. The increase in voter abstention to 50% reflects a growing trend of disengagement among the electorate, as noted by provisional data from the General Secretariat of the Ministry of Internal Administration.

This review examines Chega, the right-wing political party in Portugal led by Ventura, highlighting its unique position in the Portuguese political landscape.

Moedas has secured an absolute majority with former Chega members, raising questions about the implications for Lisbon's political landscape and whether this shift marks the end of certain political red lines.

The ultranationalist Chega party is gaining traction in Portugal by focusing on issues that were overlooked by the former prime minister and current president of the European Council, António Costa. Their campaign strategy highlights dissatisfaction with existing policies and aims to attract voters who feel unrepresented.

The editorial emphasizes the importance of voting as a civic duty and a collective responsibility, urging citizens to participate in the electoral process to protect and uplift their country.

In a recent address, Portuguese President Marcelo Rebelo de Sousa emphasized the importance of voting in the upcoming presidential runoff, framing it as a means to overcome the recent calamities caused by severe storms. He commended the resilience of those affected and highlighted the critical nature of voter turnout in this challenging context.

The recent lunch hosted by Ventura featured a menu that prominently included pork dishes. In a surprising turn of events, the presidential election has been postponed, as indicated in the official agenda. This development raises questions about the implications for the campaign and policy discussions moving forward.

In this editorial, David Pontes explores the ongoing debate about whether the current elections pose a threat to democracy. He highlights the dynamics of the presidential elections, focusing on Seguro's strategy to gauge support in the Centre region and Ventura's criticisms of Castro Almeida.

In this analytical opinion, Jorge Miranda says he will never vote for a candidate who endorses life imprisonment, does not respect the democratic stability secured by the 1976 Constitution, or seeks to repeal the substantive limits on constitutional revision — warning that those positions threaten constitutional safeguards ahead of the 8 February election.

During a televised debate, André Ventura attacked his rival, João Ferreira Seguro, and directed insults at a lone dissenting attendee who displayed a placard defending the 25 April revolution, as well as at journalists. The incident punctuated a session that had briefly shifted public attention away from Storm Kristin and highlighted growing tensions in the campaign, with Ventura returning to personal attacks on Seguro. The episode underscores mounting polarisation in the race, potential risks for media access and civil protest at events, and how external crises can be eclipsed by incendiary rhetoric.

A day-four tracking poll after the televised debate shows António José Seguro still ahead in a hypothetical second round with 57.8% but down four percentage points from earlier reads, while André Ventura is also in decline. The main movement is toward blank and null votes — and a persistent 7.5% undecided — suggesting the debate pushed some voters away from both candidates rather than directly to Ventura. Analysts note Seguro appears the more independent figure and that a Ventura victory would have clear consequences for Chega, but any direct boost to the PS from a victory by its preferred candidate is far from assured. Public expectations of a political split after 8 February are already growing.

Admiral Gouveia e Melo, who finished fourth in the first round of Portugal’s presidential election, announced he will cast a tactical (‘useful’) vote for António José Seguro in the run-off. Framing the decision as a contribution to a ‘conscious and informed choice’ for the Portuguese who supported him as an independent, he praised Seguro’s moderation, lack of a party-driven agenda and apparent unwillingness to instrumentalise the presidency. The move is presented as strategic rather than partisan, aimed at influencing the final outcome in favour of stability and non‑partisan leadership.

This analytical piece compares the positions of presidential candidates Fernando Seguro and André Ventura across seven key areas — from the economy and public safety to defence and foreign policy — highlighting how their different approaches would shape the role of the President in Belém. It argues that the next President will remain central to Portuguese political life through veto powers, constitutional defence, international representation and command of the armed forces, and suggests that courage, more than left‑or‑right alignment, is the decisive quality for voters to weigh in this campaign.

With ten days until the presidential second round, a government-declared state of calamity has become central to the campaign, constraining campaigning and reframing public debate around emergency management, services and state capacity. The development exposes political faultlines — including the right's recurring mistake of underestimating left-wing incumbents — and underscores how a recent state blackout left communities to fend for themselves, highlighting the fragility of public institutions. The emergency framing is likely to influence voter perceptions of safety, governance and policy ahead of the run-off.

The televised debate between Seguro and André Ventura was the second most-watched programme in over a year, reflecting intense public interest as the presidential campaign enters its final phase. First-round abstention fell to 47.65% — the lowest since 2006 and down sharply from 60.76% in 2021 — a sign of renewed voter mobilisation. Both participants claimed victory after the debate; Ventura adopted a visibly more moderate tone but sometimes appeared unprepared, a stance that could cool support among his populist base. The combination of high viewership and shifting candidate strategies may shape turnout and campaign tactics ahead of the next round.

A daily poll finds most Portuguese want defeated presidential candidates to declare endorsements and that any such support should favour António José Seguro. The piece argues Montenegro was right not to declare backing, but if he did it should be for Seguro, while emphasising that centre-right support for Seguro is not a blank cheque and would bring concrete political responsibility. It also notes former PSD leader Rui Rio has publicly said he will vote for Seguro ahead of the 8 February second round against André Ventura.

The piece argues that Carlos (Carneiro) can only realistically vie for the premiership if he makes combating moral and economic corruption the centrepiece of his campaign and party renewal. Influence peddling, cronyism and nepotism are identified as the deepest maladies afflicting the Socialist Party (PS) and will largely determine its electoral prospects and internal legitimacy. The analysis outlines how a credible anti-corruption platform and concrete policy reforms could reshape voter perceptions and decide whether Carneiro’s bid succeeds.

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.

As the official campaign week begins ahead of the run-off, Seguro is emphasising concrete policy areas—notably healthcare and defence—to court issue-focused and undecided voters with substantive proposals. By contrast, Ventura is maintaining daily grassroots contact through street and market visits, relying on visibility and personal outreach to energise supporters. The contrast between a policy-driven strategy and retail politics will shape narratives and could be decisive in persuading the run-off electorate.

On the eve of the second-round campaign launch, André Ventura hardened his rhetoric, positioning himself as the 'people's candidate against the elites' and accusing the establishment of trying to silence his movement. He said Cavaco Silva’s support for António José Seguro was predictable but expressed surprise at Paulo Portas’s choice, insisting the popular vote will be enough to defeat Seguro. Having failed to unite the right and lost backing from leading figures, Ventura is pursuing a populist 'people against the elites' strategy while critics say he must draw clearer lines from political extremes.

Former CDS-PP leader Paulo Portas has broken with both party and government neutrality to announce he will vote for António José Seguro in the presidential runoff, calling him “a decent politician in a very difficult moment for Portugal”. Portas framed his choice as support for a moderate alternative, rejecting efforts to reduce the race to a simple left-versus-right contest and warning against polarising rhetoric — including what he described as “an imitation of Trump” and a country “divided into tribes”. The endorsement signals a centrist tilt that could sway conservative voters uncomfortable with polarisation and complicate the CDS-PP's official posture ahead of the second round.

Ana Sá Lopes argues that, given broad support from intellectuals and sections of the democratic right, the presidential bid of André Ventura is difficult to stop — echoing Rui Ramos’s bleak assessment. The piece highlights how Ventura presents himself as the new leader of the right while also heading a party, and notes that the CDS withdrawal of support has paradoxically positioned him as a mainstream opposition figure who could plausibly become president or even prime minister. The author draws a worrying comparison with Viktor Orbán’s rise in Hungary and reflects on the shifting dynamics of the Portuguese right.

CDS‑PP leader Nuno Melo reiterated that his party will not support any presidential candidates, rejecting António José Seguro's socialism and André Ventura's populism. Melo likened Ventura to Donald Trump and controversially described Chega's positions as comparable to socialism, urging voters to vote according to their conscience.